Name: Charred chicken with spiced-yogurt cauliflower
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 small chicken; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; seeds ground to make ¼ tsp cardamom; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; to serve (optional) micro herbs; 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets; 75g butter; 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 small onion, finely diced; 2 tsp ground cumin; a small bunch coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves picked; 3 egg yolks; 1 tbsp cornflour; 500ml natural yogurt; a squeeze lemon juice; a pinch pul biber, (see notes below); 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe with Yogurt on a white dinner plate

1 small chicken
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cinnamon
seeds ground to make ¼ tsp cardamom
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
to serve (optional) micro herbs

SPICED-YOGURT CAULIFLOWER

1 small cauliflower
cut into florets
75g butter
4 cloves garlic
finely chopped
1 small onion
finely diced
2 tsp ground cumin
a small bunch coriander
stalks finely chopped and leaves picked
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp cornflour
500ml natural yogurt
a squeeze lemon juice
a pinch pul biber
(see notes below)
1 tbsp pine nuts
toasted

Method

step 1
Start by removing both legs from the chicken, then take both breasts off the bone, leaving the skin on, so that you have 4 pieces. De-bone both legs by following the L shaped bones in each with your knife, cutting round either side of the bone, and finally underneath until you free it from the flesh. Alternatively, you can ask a good butcher to do this for you.
step 2
Crush the garlic with a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt. Add the spices, followed by the olive oil. Lay the chicken skin-side down on a plate and rub the spice mix onto the flesh of the chicken, avoiding the skin. Chill for 2-3 hours.
step 3
Cook the cauliflower in a steamer for 6-7 minutes until soft.
step 4
Melt 50g of the butter in a frying pan and add the garlic. Cook gently for 1 minute, then add the onion and a good pinch of salt. Fry for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the cumin and coriander stalks and cook for 1 minute.
step 5
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks with the cornflour to make a paste. Slowly add the yogurt, stirring continuously. Pour the yogurt mix into the onions, season, and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, stirring until thickened slightly and looking glossy. Stir in the cauliflower, ¾ of the coriander leaves and the lemon juice. Keep warm.
step 6
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Season the chicken well, heat an ovenproof frying pan and put the chicken in, skin-side down. Cook for 5 minutes until the chicken skin is golden brown, then put into the oven, still skin-side down, for 10-12 minutes. Flip all of the pieces of chicken over and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove onto a warm plate and cover with foil, resting for 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter to a small pan and cook until golden brown and nutty.
step 7
To serve, spoon the warm cauliflower onto a plate, drizzle with the browned butter, sprinkle with pul biber, pine nuts and the remaining coriander leaves. Serve the chicken alongside, with any of the resting juices spooned over and micro herbs, if you like.