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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To serve, heat a large sauté pan and melt the butter. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
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.