Looking for a knockout main for your weekend dinner table or over Easter? Award-winning food writer Melissa Thompson shares five delightful dishes, from glorious slow-cooked roast mutton (punchier than lamb and more seasonal) to a mountain of artichokes, sizzling aromatic bream and make-ahead crab and chard quiche – every one a winner
PHOTOGRAPHS TOM SHINGLER FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN AND POLLYANNA COUPLAND
Ginger garlic chicken with broccoli and sesame chilli sauce
Serves 6 Hands-on time 20 min, plus 2 hours marinating Simmering time 20 min Oven time 45-55 min
• 100ml light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 100ml chicken stock
• 100ml shaoxing wine, plus 4 tbsp for the glaze
• 2 tsp chinese five-spice powder
• 80g ginger, grated
• 1 garlic bulb, cloves chopped
• 3 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 large free-range chicken (about 1.5kg)
• 2 broccoli, quartered
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• Toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced diagonally
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced diagonally
• Cooked rice to serve
For the sauce
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2-3 tsp chilli oil or to taste (we used chiu chow chilli oil – to make your own, search deliciousmagazine.co.uk)
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp chinkiang black vinegar (from Asian stores or Amazon) – if you can’t find it, use balsamic vinegar
1 Add the soy sauces, stock, shaoxing wine, five-spice, ginger, garlic and 2 tsp of the sugar to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2 Spatchcock the chicken by using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to cut down either side of the backbone (save the backbone in the freezer for stock). Turn the chicken breast-side up and press against the breastbone to flatten. Score the breasts twice and legs once, cutting through the skin into the flesh, then put the chicken in a deep tray or dish. Strain the cooled soy sauce mixture through a fine sieve over the chicken, ensuring it goes into the slashes and spooning it into any nooks, crannies or pockets on both sides of the bird (discard the solids). Cover and keep in the fridge for 2 hours.
3 Drizzle the broccoli with the sesame and vegetable oils, sprinkle with sesame seeds and set aside. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients until smooth and creamy, then add 2 tbsp water and mix again. Set aside.
4 Heat the oven to 160°C fan/gas 4. Lift the chicken out of the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper. Pour the marinade from the tray/dish into a saucepan with the remaining 1 tsp sugar and 4 tbsp shaoxing wine, then leave to simmer into a thick sauce (about 15 minutes).
