Food & entertaining

POUSSIN: ROAST WITH SPICED CABBAGE

Poussin: Roast with spiced cabbage
SERVES 6
PREPARATION 40 MINS
COOKING 1 HR
6 poussins
12 slices dry-cure streaky bacon
2 lemons, quartered

FOR THE STUFFING
2tbsp vegetable oil
6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
100g (3½oz) pine nuts
1 large onion, finely chopped
250g (8oz) fresh breadcrumbs
1 large egg
150g (5oz) butter, melted
1tsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
Leaves of 8 sprigs thyme
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

FOR THE SPICED CABBAGE
2tbsp olive oil
1 long red chilli, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1. To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the bacon, pine nuts and onion for about 7 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl and stir through the breadcrumbs. Place the egg, butter, mustard, herbs, and lemon juice and zest into an electric blender and purée to a smooth paste. Add the paste to the bread mixture, season and mix well.
2. Heat the oven to 180ºC (gas mark 4). Rinse the poussins and dry well with kitchen paper. Stuff the cavity of each bird with a little stuffing - don't over-fill. Roll any remaining stuffing into balls about the size of walnuts.
3. Cover each bird with 2 slices of bacon. Place the birds in a large roasting tin (make sure they don't touch each other); you can use two roasting tins, if desired. Tuck the lemon quarters around the birds, then roast in the oven, basting occasionally, for about 1 hour.
4. After 30 minutes, add the stuffing balls to the oven, either in a separate tray or sitting around the poussins. Cover the birds with tin foil if the bacon is cooking too quickly. Once cooked, let the poussins rest for 20 minutes, while you prepare the cabbage.
5. To make the cabbage, heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the chilli and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and fry, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of water, reduce the temperature a little and cover with a lid. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until just tender. Season well and drizzle with a little extra oil. Serve each poussin on a nest of cabbage, accompanied with the stuffing balls.

TIP

Make sure the poussins only have 1-2 tablespoons of stuffing in each cavity - if they are stuffed too full, the birds won't cook sufficiently. You can make a delicious gravy from the lemon pan juices, if desired.