Roast Chicken On Corn Trivet
A whole chicken roasted standing on corn cobs, with a miso-butter-corn braise bubbling in the tin beneath - this might be one of my favourite dishes of all time.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 corn cobs, husks and silks removed, cut reasonably evenly into 4cm pieces
1 bunch thyme
1 x 1.5kg chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for pan-frying
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon white miso paste
50g butter
1 bunch cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), tough ribs discarded, leaves and tender ribs kept whole
a bit of lemon zest (optional, but really, just do this one as is)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Oil a large roasting tin.
Stand the corn cobs up in the tin to create a trivet for the chicken. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the base.
Massage the chicken with the oil, salt and paprika, and place on the corn cobs.
Pour 1 1/2 cups (375ml) of water into the base of the tin.
Roast the chicken for 1 hour. Check it's cooked by piercing the thigh meat and making sure the juices run clear.
Drain the juices from the chicken and set aside to rest.
Remove all the thyme sprigs you can from the tin.
Cut the kernels from the corn and return to the tin with the miso, butter and 1/2 cup (125ml) of water. Place over low heat and allow this to bubble and braise for about 15 minutes.
Pan-sear the cavolo nero in a splash of oil in a separate pan. Or simply blanch in boiling water - there's enough flavour to bring this baby to the party if you want to avoid washing up another pan.
Serve succulent slices of chook with the greens and the sweet sauciness of the miso, butter and corn braise.
HINTS
I owe my introduction to corn and miso to my friend and incredible chef Danielle Alvarez, who co-hosted an Instagram Live cooking session with me during Covid - I turned it into mild chaos cooking over an open wood-fuelled flame with cold logs, and the result was still an immaculate marriage.
The corn does double duty - trivet first, so the chicken roasts above the juices, then braise, once you strip the kernels back into the tin.
That's what I love about food: there are so many mistakes on the way to so many wonderful discoveries.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 4-6 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 15200kJ (3630 calories)
Protein: 240g
Fat: 240g
Saturated fat: 80g
Carbohydrates: 100g
Sugars: 25g
Fibre: 18g
Sodium: 3400mg
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.