How do you cook Poussin? | Corn fed spatchcock Poussin with fennel | National Dish Recipe

Poussin is a french word used exactly the same in English, which does not necessarily make this a french dish, so I have credited both countries. But – how do you cook Poussin?

Also known as Spring Chicken, Poussin basically means ‘young chicken’, which is less than 28 days old and half a kilo.

My two beauties are corn fed and were acquired from Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly, London – raaahhhh.

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How do you cook Poussin? | Corn fed spatchcock Spring Chicken | National Dish Recipe

This recipe covers the preparation and roasting of the birds and a serving suggestion, but you can do anything with them, maybe post below how you served it. I roasted it with fennel and Lemon, roasted pumpkin with paprika and some roasted fartichokes. In terms of complexity, this is rather simple. If you have some chef's or butchers scissors use those, but make sure you have a decent pair, not nail scissors...that would be stupid!

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

British, French

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings

People

Ingredients

• 2 Poussin get them prepared and then we'll spatchcock them
• 1 large bulb of fennel slice this about quarter to half inch thick, not too thin though
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• A few good glugs rape seed oil I used infused Cotswold Gold
• Plenty sea salt flakes
• 1 small pumpkin halved, de-seeded and sliced/wedged, see pic
• 10 Jerusalem artichokes peeled and cut in half
• 1 bulb garlic separate the cloves and peel

Course Main Dish Cuisine British, French Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Servings People Ingredients 2 Poussin get them prepared and then we'll spatchcock them 1 large bulb of fennel slice this about quarter to half inch thick, not too thin though 2 sprigs rosemary A few good glugs rape seed oil I used infused Cotswold Gold Plenty sea salt flakes 1 small pumpkin halved, de-seeded and sliced/wedged, see pic 10 Jerusalem artichokes peeled and cut in half 1 bulb garlic separate the cloves and peel

Instructions

Spatchcocking the Poussin

1. I'll start with the most important element, which is prepping the Poussin for roasting and deal with the sides later. Pre-heat the oven to 175C.

   
2. Get a plastic chopping board, slip a damp tea towel beneath if it might slide. Grab a good pair of kitchen scissors and get your Poussin out. DON'T WASH IT - DANGER!
3. Whip it on to it's front, now that means it's tits...sorry breasts. You'll be cutting lengthwise through it's back (the flat part) and effectively butterflying it. Best to start at the head end.
4. Now turn it over open side down, flatten your hand across the crown and press hard until you hear and feel the reassuring crack of the legs dis-locating.

   
5. You now have a perfectly spatchcocked bird. That's it, told you it was easy, there shouldn't be any mess.

   
6. In an appropriate size roasting tray, I'm doing two in the same pan, slice the fennel and scatter, place the Poussin on top. Put a handful of the garlic cloves under each Poussin (oil these), sprinkle some unpeeled ones amongst the fennel too if you like. I've used a mixture of lemon infused and Rosemary infused Cotswold Gold Virgin Rapeseed Oil - cover everything in this.

   
7. My Poussin are corn fed and that will add even more golden colour to the finish. Lob the rosemary on top, oil that too. If you can be bothered, soaking sprigs of rosemary in water the night before can help prevent it from catching - I didn't bother.

   

The Rest

1. The Poussin will take only 40 minutes to roast, about the same as the Jerusalem Artichokes - get them in together and then prep the pumpkin which will only take 30 mins. This way, it should all finished at the same time.
2. Peel the Jerusalem Artichokes and cut them in half longways, pop them in an appropriate sized roasting dish, smother with oil and sea salt flakes. TRIVIA - these things make you fart more than any other tuber or vegetable, enjoy.

   
3. Now shove the Poussin and the Fartichokes in to the oven at the same time.
4. Cut your pumpkin in half, de-seed and slice in to segments - see pic. Put them in a roasting dish, some slight bunching is nice, not to much though. Smother them in oil and sea salt flakes then dust with cayenne and paprika.

   
5. Put them in the oven. When ready, the Poussin should be a lovely golden colour, the artichokes will take a knife through them and the pumpkin should be nice and gnarly. Serve with a dollop of English mustard. Couple of hours later you can look forward to the fireworks as your ass explodes from the artichokes - enjoy.

   
6. Thank you Britain (and France, for the word at least)