French Cooking Academy

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HAY BAKED CHICKEN.

Kate Blenkiron 
A unique way to cook chicken with zero fat

Learn to transform a simple chicken into a show stopping recipe with this chicken cooked in hay (poulet au Foin). This recipe will give your chicken a one of a kind taste with zero fat or salt added. A unique way to cook and flavour chicken for the connoisseurs out there and anyone ready to step out of their comfort zone.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 handfuls hay grass (fully natural non sprayed or treated). You can get this on line or in pet stores

  • 1 good quality chicken (In this recipe I used a 1.5kg chicken)

  • A grind of black pepper to season

  • A sprinkle of rock salt to decorate

  • 50 grams salted butter for the finishing touch after the chicken is cooked

For the dough used to seal the pot (not to be eaten) 

  • 300 grams all purpose flour

  • 150ml water

Cooking time: 1 hour at 190 Degrees Celsius (374 Fahrenheit)

Note

Impress your guests by performing the chicken reveal in front of them. You can place your chicken under the grill for 5 minutes (after it is cooked) to lightly brown the top. Season and baste with salted butter just before serving or carving. Serve with green lettuce, saute potatoes or sauté green beans or even roasted vegetables.

PROCEDURE

  1. Preheat the oven (fan forced) to 190C (374F).

  2. Line a cast iron pot with a generous quantity of hay to create a “nest” for the chicken to lie on. Make sure the hay reaches all the way up the sides and that there is no hay sitting on the rim of the pot. Don’t season the chicken at this point.

  3. Make a stiff dough out of the flour and water and roll it to a length which will cover the circumference of the pot. Lay the dough to entirely cover the rim. Place the lid on top and press down firmly to create a tight seal.

  4. Place the chicken into the middle shelf of the oven and let it cook until ready – in the case of a 1.5kg chicken, 65 minutes will do. The aroma of cooked chicken flowing from the oven is an indicator that the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest in the pot for at least 20 minutes.

  5. Remove the lid and take the chicken out. Place it under a grill for 5 minutes to colour the breast (this is optional).

  6. Season the top with a grind of black pepper and a little rock salt and brush with the melted salted butter.