Tasty delights from Better Homes and Gardens: Salt Crust Chicken and Chinese-style steamed snapper

COLIN’S SALT CRUST CHICKEN

Prep Time: 40 minutes plus 30 chilling time

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.6kg whole chicken

Olive oil, for brushing

Freshly ground black pepper

½ bunch thyme

Juice of 1 lemon

SALT CRUST

800g plain flour

300g cooking salt

½ bunch rosemary, roughly chopped

½ bunch marjoram, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

300mls cold water

3 egg whites, beaten

SAUTE LEEKS

2 leeks, sliced

100g butter, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced

½ bunch thyme leaves

100g roasted hazelnuts, chopped

1 To make the salt crust, combine the flour, salt, herbs and garlic in a large bowl. Make a well.

2 Whisk water and egg whites until incorporated. Pour into the middle of the flour mixture and bring everything together to form a rough dough. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes or until soft. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3 Preheat oven to 200C (fan-forced). Place chilled dough on a floured work surface and roll out to a circle, large enough to wrap around the chicken.

4 Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with pepper. Scatter with thyme. Place chicken, breast-side down in centre of salt crust. Gently mold the crust around the chicken to make a salt crust ball, sealing at the top. Ensure there are no holes. (Holes can be patched with leftover pieces of dough).

6 Place wrapped chicken, seam-side down in a large roasting pan lined with baking paper. Cook for about 1 hour 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked when tested with a meat thermometer. Probe chicken thigh through the crust, temperature should be at least 60C. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

7 Meanwhile, to make saute leeks, heat large frying pan over medium to low heat. Add leeks, butter, garlic and thyme. Cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until tender. (Leeks should not colour). Scatter with hazelnuts.

8 To serve chicken, crack open the salt crust and carve the chicken. Discard crust and reserve cooking juices. Squeeze lemon over chicken. Serve chicken with leeks, carrots and reserved cooking juices.

TIP: Salt crust is not edible.

CLARISSA’S CHINESE STYLE STEAMED SNAPPER

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2 to 4 as part of a shared meal

Ingredients

800g - 1.2kg whole snapper, cleaned, scaled

1 tbsp sesame oil

6 green spring onions

10cm piece fresh ginger

Salt and ground white pepper

Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish (optional)

Birdseye chilli, finely sliced (optional)

Crisp fried onions, to garnish

Steamed rice and steamed Asian greens (optional), to serve

SAUCE

100mls light soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 To prepare the fish, rinse snapper and pat dry with paper towels. Make two or three diagonal slits on each side of the fish. This will help the fish cook evenly. Brush sesame oil over both sides of the fish and season with salt and pepper (including the cavity).

2 To steam the fish, line the plate and fill the cavity with 6 slices of ginger and two halved onions. This will prevent the skin from sticking. Cut remaining onions into batons and slice into thin strips (julienne). Immerse in ice cold water. Set aside. Julienne remaining ginger and scatter over fish.

3 Bring water to the boil in a large wok or pan. Top with a steamer or trivett. Add plated fish and cover with lid. Steam over medium to high heat for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). The fish is cooked when the flesh flakes easily with a fork.

4 Make the sauce, meanwhile, combine soy and sugar in a jug.

5 Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over a high heat until hot but not smoking.

6 Remove fish from the steamer and discard the cooking liquid. Scatter with remaining coriander, green onions and chilli. Drizzle with two tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Carefully pour over the hot vegetable oil.

7 Scatter with crisp fried onions. Serve immediately with steamed rice, Asian greens and extra sauce.

TIP: Ask your fish monger to remove the fins and tail. This will enable fish to fit in steamer.

You may need to adjust sauce quantity depending on size of fish.