Chicken Ballotine

recipe masterchef AUSTRALIA

Ingredients

Corn Puree

• 4cobs fresh corn, peeled
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chicken Ballotine

• 1whole chicken
• 1teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2tablespoons olive oil
• 1leek, white part only, finely chopped
• 200gpork mince
• 1rasher bacon, finely chopped
• 3teaspoons salt flakes

Sauce

• 1tablespoon olive oil
• 600gchicken bones
• 1leek, roughly chopped
• 1carrot, roughly chopped
• 250mlwhite wine
• 500mlchicken stock
• 30gbutter
• 2tablespoons plain flour
• 2teaspoons caster sugar

Method

• 1 For the corn puree, place the corn in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, boil for 1 hour. Drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Cut kernels from two of the cobs and blend until smooth, adding some of the cooking water if needed to produce a smooth puree. Season with salt and white pepper. Cut the remaining corn from the cobs and reserve for plating.
• 2 For the chicken ballotine, cut the chicken down either side of the backbone. Turn over and flatten by pressing on the breast bone. Cut chicken in half down the breast bone. Carefully remove the skin from both pieces and place onto large pieces of cling wrap.
• 3 Remove the two chicken breasts from the bone. Flatten with a meat mallet so they are similar size and shape of the skin. Place on top of skin.
• 4 Dry fry the fennel and coriander seeds until aromatic. Pound in a mortar with a pestle. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the warm pan and sauté the leek until soft. Add to the spices and allow to cool 5 minutes. Add the pork mince, bacon and salt and mix well. Divide the mixture in half and shape into two sausage shapes, same length as chicken breast. Place in the centre of the chicken breast. Roll up tightly in the cling wrap. Then roll in a second piece of cling wrap, twist the ends and tie to secure.
• 5 Cook the ballotines in a saucepan of water at 70°C for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan, remove the wrap and allow to rest 5 minutes.
• 6 For sauce, heat oil in a deep saucepan, brown the chicken bones, leek and carrot. Deglaze the pan with white wine, simmer 3 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. Add the stock and bring to simmer, simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced slightly. Strain the liquid you should have about 600ml.
• 7 Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes until bubbling, remove from the heat, add the reduced stock, whisking to prevent lumps. Return to the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until sauce has reached desired consistency.
• 8 Heat remaining olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat and brown the skin of the chicken ballotines. Remove to a board, allow to rest 5 minutes then slice each into rounds.
• 9 To serve; smear corn puree onto serving plates, top with 3 pieces of chicken and serve with sauce, corn and your favourite salad on the side.

Notes: Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 ½ hours

reference :

http://www.masterchef.com.au