Italian comfort food

Monday 18th July
Today in England, well at least here in Somerset, (the West Country) where I'm currently staying, the weather is absolutely horrible, rainy, cloudy, miserable, gray, I feel about as far removed from the sunny Caribbean as it's possible to be.  This sort of weather always fills me with a desire to get in the kitchen and cook up some comfort food, so Mum and I headed the couple of miles up the road to Puxton Farm.

As all of you who read my blog know, I refuse to buy meat from a supermarket, I am adamant about the correct care of farm animals, if we are going to use them as a food source then we should give them the best possible care while they are alive, and insure that they are slaughtered humanely. Sadly, how animals are cared for and slaughtered is not a priority for the people who purchase meats for the freezers and fridges of the supermarkets world wide, also all too many people who buy from these sources don't want to know or are not interested in the care of the animals.  I personally can't, with a clear conscience eat meat raised in inhumane conditions, consequently I will only buy meat from a source that I can trust, I have a great supplier in the States, and here in the UK I always buy my meat from Puxton Farm.

I should spend a few minutes here telling you about this fabulous place.
Puxton Farm prides itself in being one of the few traditional butchers left in the UK that have their own abattoir.  They always ensure that their animals are treated with kindness and care, and they use their own transport when moving their animals to the abattoir, they take animal welfare very seriously. The animals live in natural surrounding, out in the fields grazing and enjoying the fresh air, unlike so many poor unfortunate creatures raised in tight, dark cages where they are unable to even turn around.

The butchers that work at Puxton farm remind me of my chidhood, when there were individual butcher shops on every village corner.  Puxton butchers know their products, and how to prepare them, ready for any dish.

I wanted to prepare a traditional Italian dish called "Pollo disossato al forno con rosmarino e aglio"  or in English: "Roast Boned Chicken with Rosemary & Garlic". A really yummy, warming, bursting with flavor typically Italian dish.

You need a whole chicken which needs to be boned; a task the amateur ( and I include myself here) sometimes struggles with, it's really a job for a professional; in truth I can do it, but it takes me so long and I often make a bit of a mess, so if I can get a professional to do it for me then I jump at the chance. The butchers at Puxtons are well qualified and can bone a chicken in minutes perfectly.

Nick from Puxtons boned the chicken for me, and it was absolutely perfect.

This is my take on the original, traditional dish, I've just added a few extra ingredients.

Daisy's Roasted, Stuffed, Boned Chicken.

1 whole chicken boned (size depends upon the number  you are serving)

1 sprig fresh Rosemary, stalks removed and leaves chopped

1 sprig of rosemary whole

3 sprigs fresh Thyme, leaves removed from the stalks

2 Bay leaves

4 slices of Prosciutto

2 oz Ricotta cheese

4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or 180.

lay out the chicken, skin side down, season well with salt and pepper, sprinkle the sliced garlic over the chicken, lay the slices of prosciutto over the chicken, dot spoonful's of ricotta cheese over the prosciutto, sprinkle the thyme leaves and chopped rosemary over the cheese.  Roll up the chicken, tucking the flesh and filing inside, ensuring that it is all covered in skin, and no flesh is visible.  Lay a sprig of rosemary and the bay leaf on top.  Tie with string to secure to roll, making sure to tuck the ends of the chicken roll inside.

Place in a deep baking dish, season with sea salt, and freshly ground pepper, drizzle the olive oil over and place in the oven for 90 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the roll reads 190 

I roast onions, potatoes and parsnips in the dish around the chicken roll...

So easy, and really delicious.  

I usually like to serve a sauce with the chicken. I make a stock using the chicken bones, carrots, celery, onions, thyme and white wine, that's cooked very slowly for 4 hours, and then strained and thickened with flour and butter.

Serve with roast potatoes and roast parsnips. 

For more information on Puxton Farm, go to:  www.geralddavid.co.uk 

for the farm shop www.puxtonfarmshop.co.uk

This dish is also great served cold the next day, never any waste when I cook this dish...

Enjoy :o)