Sage and Garlic Chicken with Celeriac Puree and Spinach Ball

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 40g butter, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6 sage leaves
• Olive oil
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 1 tsp thyme leaves

Sauce

• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 shallot, chopped
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 tbs plain flour
• ¼ cup water

Celeriac puree

• 1 celeriac, peeled, roughly chopped
• 50g butter
• ½ cup milk

Chips

• Oil, to deep fry
• 3 potatoes, peeled and julienned

Spinach ball

• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 200g baby spinach, picked

Method

• Pre heat the oven to 180°C.
• For the chicken, cut the thighs and wings from the chicken, make a pocket under the skin over the crown, stuff with knobs of butter, garlic and sage leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and place on an oven tray, season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes or until cooked. Heat an oiled pan over a med-high heat, cut the breast from the crown, cook chicken skin side down, cook until crisp.
• Debone the chicken thighs, flatten with a meat mallet and trim away any fat and sinew. Top with thyme leaves and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Roll. Place prosciutto on a flat surface, top with the rolled thigh and wrap tightly with the prosciutto then wrap tightly in cling film, then foil. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, reduce to a simmer and place the thigh in to poach for 8-10 minutes. Remove foil and cling film. Heat an oiled pan over a med-high heat; cook the chicken until golden all over, drizzle with extra olive oil while cooking.
• Roughly chop the remaining chicken bones, heat an oiled frying pan over a med-high heat, brown the bones all over, add the carrot, celery, garlic and shallots, continue to cook until caramelised. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock, then allow to simmer for 8-12 minutes, adding more stock when needed. Place a sieve lined with muslin over a bowl and drain the sauce, pour the strained sauce back into a saucepan, place over a medium heat. Combine the flour and water together in a jug and whisk, slowing whisk into the sauce, whisk until thickened, adjust the seasoning.
• For the celeriac puree, place the celeriac in a blender and process until finely chopped. Place in a saucepan; add butter and milk, season and place over a medium heat, simmer for 6-8 minutes or until celeriac is soft. Pour back into a blender and process until smooth, place a sieve over a bowl and sieve the puree.
• For the chips, Heat a saucepan one third full of oil until hot enough to deep fry. Deep fry the chips in batches until golden, drain onto a plate lined with paper towel, season with salt.
• For the spinach ball, bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, blanch 8 spinach leaves for 3 seconds, arrange overlapping leaves in a star shape onto a clean tea towel. Heat an oiled frying pan over a medium heat, sauté the garlic until soft, add the spinach and toss to wilt, season with salt and pepper. Place in a sieve to drain then place onto paper towel to drain any excess liquid. Roughly chop. Place into the centre of the spinach star and then carefully roll over the tea towel to form a spinach ball.
• To serve, smear celeriac puree across the plate, top with the chicken breast, arrange the sliced thigh with the chips and the spinach ball to the side and the sauce in a jug.

reference :

http://www.masterchef.com.au