Pesto Chicken Ballotine with Pumpkin Mash

To bone a chicken may put you off but when you have guests you will find that it really pays off. You can set the juicy pieces such as tigh fillets on the outside, and the bits that usually dry out quicker like breast on the inside, like so, everyone will enjoy a tender piece of chicken. You can be very artistic in plating this dish and get the wow from everyone!


1 whole Chicken approx 1.5kg
2 tablespoons pine nuts
bunch fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 large potatoes
500g pumpkin
100ml fresh cream
Salt & Pepper

2 tablespoon dry sherry
4 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken stock
sprig rosemary
sprig thyme

1 tablespoon cold butter

Prepare the chicken by carefully removing the skin and try to obtain two rectangular pieces without tearing.  Bone the chicken so that you will have meat from tighs and two breasts. Using a sharp knife, flatten out the chicken breast, and open evenly the chicken tigh.  On a clean board arrange two pieces of cling film on top of another, place one of the chicken skin, rough side down.  Season with salt and pepper. Layer the meat from tighs and smear with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Layer one of the breast  evenly on top and roll.  Roll tightly so that it shapes like a small salami.  Repeat the process to make another ballotine. Bring a large pan of water to a boil and lower down the ballotines.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from water, and cool slightly. Remove the cling film and place on a baking tray.  Continue to cook in a pre heated oven 200c for 20 minutes until skin is golden.  Take out from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before carving.  Slice each ballotine into 6 slices, arrange three slices per plate, spoon pumpkin mash aside and pour over sherry sauce.

Pesto
Gently toast the pine nuts, then using a mortar and pestle crush garlic then pine nuts then chopped basil, add oil slowly to obtain smooth paste.  Add parmesan cheese and mix thoroughly. Pour over some oil to avoid discolouration.

Sherry Sauce
Chop the chicken carcass, wings and other bones into pieces and fry in a large pan with garlic rosemary and thyme.  Add salt and pepper. When brown add sherry to deglase pan.  Add chicken stock and cover.  Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain  the juices through fine sieve.  Reduce sauce in  a small pan, add chopped butter and stir to obtain a nice silky sauce.

Pumpkin Mash,
Peel potatoes and boil with pumpkin in plenty salted water until tender.  Strain water, mash thoroughly, and add cream.  Season to taste.