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Spachcock Chicken?

Spachcock Chicken recipe - Eat wel on Unoversal CreditOK let's dispense with the myths. Yes you can buy a Spachcock Chicken for £7 in the Supermarket. It's be nicely presented with a couple of sticks crossed through it and an oil and herb marinate. But it will generally be the size of a Sparrow!
 
So why bother? Don't!
 
Spachcock is an old Saxon word which basically means spread-eagled. Realistically if you have a pair of kitchen scissors and any bird you are good to go.
 
Birds , fowl, whatever you choose to call them, are basically an empty box with the good stuff on the outside. The ancient Greeks, the Romans, the.... well everybody before us knew that this is not the best physical structure for roasting. You know that Christmas Turkey with the dried breast meat and the thighs and wings which were always the best bits? There is a reason for that. Even in the best fan assisted oven and covered with foil the top of the bird is going to cook quicker than the parts in the tray and doubtlessly dry out.
 
So the fix?
 
Method:-
 
Get a cheap Chicken (Ours was £2.59 for nearly 2Kg).
With a pair of kitchen scissors cut from the rear to the front, taking out the spine. 
Now think of somebody you don't really like and spread the bird out. You might hear a few little bones breaking. Just continue thinking about that person you don't like!
Lay in a baking tray and oil well. Add Salt and Pepper and seasoning to your choice. We used Chilli flakes and Garlic salt.
Roast as you would normally but for about 10 minutes less, depending on the weight.
Remove from the oven, cover and let  rest for 10 minutes or so.
 
Serve with..... Well whatever you have really. Your Chicken will be the star of the show anyway. Moist, succulent and evenly cooked.
 
We'll probably get 3 meals out of this Chicken, for two humans and Buster The Dog! 

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Chicken, Chorizo & Leek Pie recipeAs is usually the case when we have a Chicken, we had left-overs. We've done Curry dishes. We've done Pasta dishes. So we thought a Pie was in order!

 

Ingredients:-

  • Cooked Chicken, cubed
  • ½ a stick of Chorizo, cubed
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Leek, cut into rings
  • 1 Carrot, diced
  • A handful of button Mushrooms, sliced
  • Oil and margarine to sauté
  • 1 Clove of Garlic, grated
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Chicken stock. Either DIY stock or from a stock cube
  • Italian style grated Cheese
  • Pre-rolled puff Pastry

 

White Sauce Ingredients:-

  • Margarine
  • Flour
  • Milk
  • Salt & Pepper

 

Method:-

 

For the White Sauce:-

  1. Melt the margarine in a pan.
  2. Add the Flour and mix over a low heat into you have a smooth paste.
  3. Gradually add the Milk a little at a time mixing constantly, until you have a runny constancy.
  4. Season with a little Salt and Pepper
  5.  Add extra milk if the sauce is too stiff and mix thoroughly.

 

Build your Pie:-

  1. Sauté the Vegetables and Chicken in a frying pan with the Oil and Margarine.
  2. Add the Chicken Stock,add the gated Garlic and simmer for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the Vegetables and Chicken to the White Sauce in a large pan and mix well.
  4. Add the Italian style grated Cheese.
  5. Move the Pie filling to a Pie dish and cover with the pastry. Glaze with a beaten egg if you wish.
  6. Cook in the oven at 180C until the pastry is golden brown.

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