Ingredients
- 1.5kg broad beans on the pods and then shelled. Or 400g shelled broad beans
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 chicken breasts on the bone about 180g each
- 60g butter
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed with the flat edge of a knife or your hand
- 1 small handful of summer savoury (sarriette) or 2 thyme springs
- 14 baby onions, white bulb only root cut off
- A pinch of caster sugar
- 100g/3½oz pancetta, diced
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- 4 tbsp chicken stock or water
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.
Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the broad beans and blanch for 20 seconds, then drain and refresh immediately in a b owl of ice-cold water and drain again. Peel the beans and discard the outer skins. I know it’s a fiddly job, but it’s worth the trouble as it changes the flavour completely. Set aside for the ragout.
Warm the oil in a large heavy based frying pan or cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down and partially covered, for 8 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Turn the chicken over and add a knob of butter along with the garlic and summer savoury sprigs. Transfer to the oven to cook for a further 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, cover with kitchen foil and keep warm. Set the pan aside for making the jus later.
To make the ragout, melt a knob of the remaining butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes until light golden. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle in the sugar. Add 4 tablespoons of water and cook a low heat, partially covered, for 12-15 minutes or until the water has almost evaporated and the spring onions are slightly glazed.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pancetta and blanch for 1-2 minutes, then drain, refresh immediately in a bowl of cold water and drain again. Don’t be tempted to blanch the pancetta any longer or it will turn too dry. Pat dry with kitchen towel.
Sauté the pancetta in a medium frying pan over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until slightly crispy. Stir in the broad beans, spring onions and thyme leaves and keep warm.
Remove the chicken breasts from the bone, cut each of the breasts into thick slices and arrange on a plate. Divide the ragout onto the four plates, spoon the jus over and serve.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg broad beans on the pods and then shelled. Or 400g shelled broad beans
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 chicken breasts on the bone about 180g each
- 60g butter
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and crushed with the flat edge of a knife or your hand
- 1 small handful of summer savoury (sarriette) or 2 thyme springs
- 14 baby onions, white bulb only root cut off
- A pinch of caster sugar
- 100g/3½oz pancetta, diced
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
- 4 tbsp chicken stock or water
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Method
Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.
Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the broad beans and blanch for 20 seconds, then drain and refresh immediately in a b owl of ice-cold water and drain again. Peel the beans and discard the outer skins. I know it’s a fiddly job, but it’s worth the trouble as it changes the flavour completely. Set aside for the ragout.
Warm the oil in a large heavy based frying pan or cast-iron pan over a medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin side down and partially covered, for 8 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. Turn the chicken over and add a knob of butter along with the garlic and summer savoury sprigs. Transfer to the oven to cook for a further 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, cover with kitchen foil and keep warm. Set the pan aside for making the jus later.
To make the ragout, melt a knob of the remaining butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spring onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes until light golden. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle in the sugar. Add 4 tablespoons of water and cook a low heat, partially covered, for 12-15 minutes or until the water has almost evaporated and the spring onions are slightly glazed.
Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pancetta and blanch for 1-2 minutes, then drain, refresh immediately in a bowl of cold water and drain again. Don’t be tempted to blanch the pancetta any longer or it will turn too dry. Pat dry with kitchen towel.
Sauté the pancetta in a medium frying pan over a medium heat for about 4 minutes until slightly crispy. Stir in the broad beans, spring onions and thyme leaves and keep warm.
Remove the chicken breasts from the bone, cut each of the breasts into thick slices and arrange on a plate. Divide the ragout onto the four plates, spoon the jus over and serve.