overnight
over 2 hours
Serves 4
- 4 chicken legs
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- small handful fresh oregano leaves
- pinch green cardamom seeds
- 1 fat garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 15g/½oz sea salt flakes
- pinch coarsely ground black pepper
- 800g/1lb 12oz goose fat
- 150ml/5fl oz dry white wine
- 400ml/14fl oz chicken stock
- 100g/3½oz butter, cut into cubes
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 handfuls baby spinach, to serve
- 100g/3½oz butter, to serve
For the Jansson’s temptation
- 1kg/2lb 4oz potatoes, cut into matchsticks
- 125g/4½oz anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 75g/2¾oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 500ml/18fl oz double cream
- 50g/1¾oz fresh white breadcrumbs
For the pickled chillies
- 200g/7oz mixed red and green chillies
- 100ml/3½oz white wine vinegar
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
For the straw fries
- 4 large potatoes, cut or spiralized into thin fries
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
Method
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Put the chicken legs in a dish suitable for marinating, then sprinkle over the thyme, oregano, cardamom, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 10 hours.
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Preheat the oven to 110C/90C Fan/Gas ¼. Remove the legs from the cure, wash off the salt and pick off any whole spices. Pat them dry using kitchen paper, then transfer them to a roasting tin. Heat the goose fat in saucepan or microwave until melted, then pour it over the chicken legs. Cover with foil and roast for 4 hours, or until tender.
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Remove the tray from the oven and increase the temperature to 230C/210C Fan/Gas 8. Remove the chicken legs from the fat, brushing off any excess. Put them in a clean roasting tin and roast for 35–40 minutes, or until golden all over. Remove from the oven and decrease the temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
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Remove the chicke from the tray and set aside to rest. Place the tin over a medium heat and deglaze with the wine, then pour in the stock. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, then add the butter and Worcestershire sauce.
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To make the Jansson’s temptation, layer the potatoes, anchovies, onion and butter in a shallow ovenproof dish and pour over the cream. Scatter over the breadcrumbs and bake for 50–60 minutes.
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To make the pickled chillies, put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan with 200ml/7fl oz water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. Drain well.
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To make the straw fries, preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C and deep-fry the potatoes until crisp. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Leave to drain on kitchen paper.
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To serve, heat a large sauté pan and melt the butter. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
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Serve the chicken with a spoonful of Jansson’s temptation, the spinach and some pickled chillies. Pour the hot gravy over the chicken and garnish with the straw fries.
