serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 4 poussin, cleaned (see Note)
Marinade
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 125ml (½ cup) Greek yoghurt
- 8 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 25 g piece peeled ginger
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 2-4 green chillies (seeded if desired)
- 1 tsp heaped of ground turmeric
- 2 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garlicky saffron yoghurt
- 225 g Greek yoghurt
- 1 medium-large garlic clove or to taste, grated into a fine paste
- good pinch saffron threads soaked in 1 tbsp hot water
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) mayonnaise
- 1 large ripe tomato, chopped
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- large handful chopped coriander leaves and stalks
Marinating time 1 hour or overnight if time permits
Instructions
To make the marinade, place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. Pierce the poussin all over with a fork and use your fingertips to gently create a pocket between the breast and the skin. Place in a bowl, rub the marinade all over and push some in the pocket you’ve made under the skin. Stand for 1 hour or cover and refrigerate overnight if time permits.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the poussin, breast side up and side by side in a roasting tin. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until cooked through, basting half way through cooking. To check if they’re done, pierce between the leg and the thigh with the tip of a knife and check if the juices run clear, they’re ready. Take out of the oven, baste again with the pan juices, then cover and rest for 5 minutes.
To make the garlicky saffron yoghurt, mix together all the ingredients, reserving a little of the tomato and coriander for serving, then season to taste.
Serve the poussin whole or halved, drizzled with any remaining pan juices and a good dollop of the garlicky yoghurt on the side garnished with some of the reserved tomato and coriander.
Note
• Poussin is also sold as spatchcock, but if you can’t find any you can easily use chicken and increase the cooking time a little.
starts Monday 4 April 2016 on Food Network Australia. Visit the for recipes and more.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
