Apricot glazed roast poussin with bulgur wheat stuffing, fig and date chutney, fondant potato & the ‘best’ bread sauce

I love a good roast and Christmas dinner has to qualify as the mother of all roasts. However, if like me, you are having a low key affair this year my variation on a Christmas dinner is perfect. The recipe caters for two but can easily be scaled up to feed the masses if required. The bread sauce is particularly divine, if not rather naughty, and is eaten in my household by the spoonful (predominantly by myself).

Serves: 2

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 1.5 hrs

Ingredients

For the poussin

  • 2 oven-ready poussin
  • 10 rashers of streaky bacon
  • 100g bulgur wheat
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 1 orange, zest only, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp of sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsps of thyme leaves, finely chopped
  • 8 dried of apricots, finely chopped
  • Handful of pistachio nuts, finely chopped
  • 10g butter, melted
  • Apricot jam (to glaze)

For the fondant potatoes

  • 2 large roasting potatoes
  • 60g butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200ml chicken stock

For the chicken gravy

  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled & squashed
  • 1 small carrot, roughly chopped
  • 2 sprigs of thyme
  • 5 dried allspice berries
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • ½ tbsp vegetable oil

For the fig and date chutney

  • 6 fresh dates, stones removed,
    roughly chopped
  • 2 figs, quartered
  • 150ml port
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 50ml red wine vinegar
  • ¼ orange, finely sliced

For the bread sauce

  • 300ml milk
  • 100ml double cream
  • 150g soft white breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp. chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp. chopped sage leaves
  • 40g butter
  • reserved juices & crispy bits
    from the chicken pan

For the cabbage

  • ¼ savoy cabbage, shredded
  • 10 pre-cooked chestnuts, finely chopped
  • 10g butter
  • 1 tbsp. pink peppercorns, lightly crushed

For the crispy sage (optional)

  • handful of sage leaves
  • 25g butter

Apricot glazed roast poussin with bulgur wheat stuffing, fig and date chutney, fondant potato & the ‘best’ bread sauce

I love a good roast and Christmas dinner has to qualify as the mother of all roasts. However, if like me, you are having a low key affair this year my variation on a Christmas dinner is perfect. The recipe caters for two but can easily be scaled up to feed the masses if required. The bread sauce is particularly divine, if not rather naughty, and is eaten in my household by the spoonful (predominantly by myself).

Method

For the poussin

  1. Cook the bulgur wheat in a saucepan for 15 minutes in 400ml of chicken stock.
  2. After 15 minutes remove from the heat and leave to stand until all the stock has been absorbed (approx.10 minutes).
  3. Add the orange zest, herbs, apricots, pistachios and seasoning to the cooked wheat and combine.
  4. To prepare the poussin, stuff the cavity (from either end) with the bulgur wheat. Brush the skin with melted butter and lay 5 rashers of streaky bacon over the top of each bird. Finally truss the poussin up with kitchen string to secure the bacon (see photo).
  5. Cook for 45 minutes at 170°C (fan). 10 minutes before the end of the cook remove the birds from the oven and brush all over with the apricot jam. Return to the oven for the final 10 minutes to allow the jam to caramelise.
  6. Once cooked remove the poussin from the pan and leave to rest for 10 minutes somewhere warm. Keep the roasting juices for the bread sauce.

For the fondant potatoes

  1. Wash and peel the potatoes then shape into two cylinders, about 6 x 4cm, trimming them as necessary. I tend to use a cookie cutter as a guide but you can free style.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the potatoes and brown lightly on both flat sides.
  3. Add the bay leaves, stock and seasoning and cover with a cartouche. (A dampened piece of baking parchment which has been cut to fit snugly inside the pan).
  4. Cook gently over a low heat for 45 – 55 minutes, turning after 25 minutes until the stock has been absorbed and potatoes tender.

For the chicken gravy

  1. Lightly brown the shallot, garlic, carrot and thyme in a saucepan with some oil.
  2. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute before adding the wine. Simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Finally add the stock and allspice berries. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes until thickened.
  4. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan, season to taste and keep warm.

For the fig and date chutney

  1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for 30 minutes until sticky and sweet.
  2. Remove the cinnamon stick and season. Best served at room temperature.

For the bread sauce

  1. Scrape the cooking juices and crispy bits from the bottom of the baking tray in which the poussin has been cooking into a clean saucepan. Add the milk, cream and chopped herbs and whisk together over a medium heat until it simmers.
  2. Add the breadcrumbs and butter and mix well. Season to taste and serve warm.

For the cabbage

  1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the cabbage for 3 minutes. Strain and add to a frying pan with the butter and chestnuts and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Season with salt and the crushed pink peppercorns.

For the crispy sage (optional)

  1. See hints and tips

To plate

  1. Spoon a generous amount of the bread sauce on to a pre warmed plate and sit a whole poussin on top. If using, sprinkle the top of the bacon with the crispy sage leaves. Dish up the rest of the sides and coat liberally with the gravy.

roast-poussin

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save