Unusual flavours

[Pferdestarke]

My pantry is full of herbs and spices to impart flavour on my food. Sometimes, like right now, I run out of inspiration. I am a little tired of the same old garlic, cumin, coriander, chili infusions and need some ideas for a roast chicken tonight.

I know a simply seasoned bird works wonders but tonight that won't do.

What other non Indian, Moroccan, chinese or thai flavours can I add to make a good dinner this fine evening?

Thanks

[Cactussed]

Try basting it in Dr Pepper.

[Cactussed]

Or.
you could try some hoisin and kinda turn it into Peking Chicken (instead of duck). Serve with some hoisin, cucumber, spring onion and pancakes.

Just a thought.

[Murph7355]

Lemon, thyme and garlic works well with chicken.

Sage also works (mix it with rosemary, thyme, marjoram etc). Or you can use it on its own (I put a good few leaves on some chicken breasts, stuffed with cream cheese, garlic, chives and wrapped in parma ham).

[Don]

You could try Lemon Chicken.

What I do is I take a chicken, cut a lemon in two and put it in the cavity. Then I take the rest of the bag of lemons (yes - a whole BAG) and slice them into 1cm slices. I put the chicken in a roasting dish and then completely cover the chicken in lemon slices. Just keep jamming the lemons in there until it's packed full.

If you like tarragon you can sprinkle that on prior to putting the lemon slices on.

Put the lid on and roast.

Once cooked remove the lemon slices and discard, squeezing the juices into the dish. Baste and, lid off, pop the chicken back into the oven to brown a little.

You can make a lemon sauce/gravy from some of the juice.

The chicken will be very, VERY lemony.

I serve this with mashed potatoes and sweetcorn.


The dish is absolutely marmite - you will either love it or hate it. Chicken meat with a strong taste of lemons is quite something.

[Don]

Ohh..

Cider Butt Chicken.

Take chicken. Open a can of cider (Merrydown is good) and drink half of it. Ram the half full tinny up the chicken's arse. I then pop the upright chicken into a Le Crueset and skewer it through twice to ensure it remains upright throughout the roasting process.

Roast. I cover with foil to avoid a horribly splattered oven.

The chicken will steam internally and remain very, very moist but the entire exterior will brown - including the back due to the upright roasting position.

Good fun and not a challenging taste like the lemon.

[Don]

Or...

Bung it breast side down into a slow cooker. Slow cook for eight to ten hours (too late for today) with a cupful of water in the bottom a few rashers of streaky bacon on top.

Finish for ten minutes in a 230C oven to brown.

Unique texture.

[drivin_me_nuts]

Saffron. Queen of spices and will infuse the most delicate of tastes into the meat. Grind a generous amount with a mortar and pestle with a pinch of sugar and steep the dust in a table spoon of water. Brush on to the chicken before roasting along with some olive oil black pepper, salt and crushed garlic. Stuff with a quartered large onion and a few slices of orange.

[Wadeski]

Szechuan pepper is an interesting one. Very unusual tingly taste. Make a rub of crushed garlic, ginger, crushed dried chillis, dark soy sauce rock salt and szechuan pepper (LOTS of it). Stuff the insides with spring onions, sliced ginger and chive.

should turn out spanking good.

[Mobile Chicane]

I think the simpler the better.

I smear chicken inside and out with garlic and herb butter, give it a sizzle on a high heat for 20 minutes, then sling a small wineglass of white wine in the bottom of the pan, and turn the oven down to 160C until it's cooked.

[Cactussed]

Mobile Chicane said:

I think the simpler the better.

I smear chicken inside and out with garlic and herb butter, give it a sizzle on a high heat for 20 minutes, then sling a small wineglass of white wine in the bottom of the pan, and turn the oven down to 160C until I've finished the rest of the bottle.

EFA:

[SVX]

I'd go with making a butter rub out of unsalted butter, smoked paprika, garlic and dried thyme. Paint this all over the bird, and inside the cavity then roast as described above.

[Mobile Chicane]

Cactussed said:

Mobile Chicane said:

I think the simpler the better.

I smear chicken inside and out with garlic and herb butter, give it a sizzle on a high heat for 20 minutes, then sling a small wineglass of white wine in the bottom of the pan, and turn the oven down to 160C until I've finished the rest of the bottle.

EFA:

Git.

[Cactussed]

SVX said:

I'd go with making a butter rub out of unsalted butter, smoked paprika, garlic and dried thyme. Paint this all over the bird, and inside the cavity then roast as described above.

Have you explained this to Mrs SVX?

[Pferdestarke]

I'm spoilt for choice. Thanks for the great replies. I'll try and remember to take a pic and post up the results.