Recipe of the week: Chicken braised with wild garlic and lemon

Wild garlic is in season, and this dish is a great way to enjoy it, says Rory O’Connell. The amount of wild garlic may seem excessive, but when cooked this way, the flavor is subtle and refined.

For six people

ingredients

• 1 organic or free range chicken
• 60 g butter, room temperature
• 500ml wild garlic leaves, finely chopped (measure wild garlic in a measuring cup)
• 1 lemon
• 120 ml white wine, e.g. B. Chardonnay
• 120 ml chicken broth
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• garnish with garlic blossoms (if you have them)

method

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed cast-iron casserole over low heat. Dry the breast side of the chicken with kitchen paper. Rub the breast with 10 g butter. Place the chicken breast-side down in the heated casserole and allow to lightly color until both breasts are golden brown.
• Place the chicken breast-side up in the casserole and season with salt and pepper. Mix half of the chopped wild garlic with the remaining 50 g butter and spread over the chicken.
• Using a microplane grater, grate the lemon directly over the chicken. Pour in the wine and chicken broth and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
• Cook the chicken in the preheated oven for about 90 minutes. To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, check that the juices run clear between the thigh and breast, with no trace of pink.
• After cooking, scrape any chopped garlic leaves still sitting on the breast into the juice at the bottom of the pan. Remove the chicken and keep warm in the oven at 100°C.
• Place the Dutch oven on the stove over low heat, add the remaining chopped garlic leaves and bring the juices to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then taste and season. The juices can take on a slightly syrupy consistency, which is perfect, but don’t reduce too much or the flavor will be overpowering.
• Carve the chicken neatly onto a hot serving platter and pour the bubbling hot sauce over it, or place separately in a heated gravy boat. Scatter the wild garlic flowers, if using, over the dish.

Rory O’Connell is co-founder of the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland (ballymaloe.com).