Roasted chicken with Quince cheese

Roasted chicken with quince cheese



Ingredients:


• 1 red onion, thickly sliced


• 3 tbsp quince cheese


• 2 baby chickens


• Salt and pepper


• 30g butter, softened


• 2 bay leaves


• 1 tbsp Marsala


• 150ml chicken stock


Savoury breadcrumbs


• 1 tbsp olive oil


• 20g butter


• 2 shallots, finely chopped


• 8 tbsp coarse, sourdough breadcrumbs


• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts or pine nuts


• 1 tspn raisins, soaked in boiling water






Method:


Preheat oven to 200 degrees, gas mark 6. Lay the sliced red onion on the bottom of a roasting tin. Put half the quince cheese inside each chickens cavity and season inside. Smear the butter over both birds and season again. Lay the pheasants on the onions and tuck in the bay leaves.


Roast for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when e thigh is pierced with a skewer.


Meanwhile, prepare the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, breadcrumbs and nuts. Toss together until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the fat and the mix is crisp and golden-about 5 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. When ready to use, drain the raisins, squeezing out excess moisture, and toss into the breadcrumbs.


When the chickens are cooked, remove from the oven. Carefully tip each bird so any quince cheese left in the cavities runs out into the pan juices. Transfer the birds to a warmed plate, cover with foil and rest them in a warmed place whilst you make the gravy.


Skim off excess fat from the roasting tin. Remove the bay leaves and onions. Put the tin over medium heat, pour in the Marsala and stir vigorously to lift all the caramelised bits from the tin. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a warmed jug. Carve the chickens and serve with the breadcrumbs and gravy.