Circassian chicken salad

Name: Circassian chicken salad
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 1 x 2kg grain-fed chicken, split down the backbone; 1 onion; 1 stick celery; 1 carrot; few parsley stalks; 1 bay leaf; 1 cinnamon stick; Walnut sauce; 2 thick slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into pieces milk; 2 cups shelled walnut kernels; 1/2 red onion, finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with a little salt; 1 tbsp paprika; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; Paprika oil; 3 tbsp walnut oil; 2 tsp sweet paprika; salt; flat leaf parsley sprigs

Stephanie Alexander

October 18, 2011

Time:1-2 hours

The chicken recipe that follows is my version of a classic Turkish dish. It has been very popular at my lunch parties. This is best made the day before. Store covered in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients

1 x 2kg grain-fed chicken, split down the backbone
1 onion
1 stick celery
1 carrot
few parsley stalks
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
Walnut sauce
2 thick slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into pieces milk
2 cups shelled walnut kernels
1/2 red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with a little salt
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Paprika oil
3 tbsp walnut oil
2 tsp sweet paprika
salt
flat leaf parsley sprigs

Method

Place chicken in a pot that holds it quite snugly in a single layer. Add all vegetables and aromatics. Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil, skim, reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 40-45 minutes until a skewer slips easily through the thigh. Allow to cool a little in the broth. Lift the chicken halves to a colander set over the pot and allow to drain well.
Discard all skin and bone and shred the chicken breast and chop the meat from the thigh, drumstick and wing into 5mm dice. (Don't forget the succulent oyster on either side of the backbone). Turn into a large bowl. Strain the stock. Return it to the rinsed-out pan and reduce by one-third. Set aside.
While the chicken is cooking, soak the bread in a little milk until soft (5 minutes). Squeeze dry and discard any extra milk. Blend the walnut kernels in a food processor until fine. Add the chopped onion, garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper and the soaked bread. Pulse quickly and then slowly add about 1 cup of the reduced stock to make a thickish sauce.
Warm the walnut oil for a minute or so and stir in the paprika. Reserve.
Tip half the sauce into the chicken and mix gently but thoroughly. Taste for salt. Spread the chicken mixture onto a wide serving platter and pour the remaining sauce over it. Just before serving, decorate the platter by drizzling over the paprika-infused oil and tucking flat-leaf parsley sprigs around the platter.
Makes 6-8 portions.

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