Spit Roasted Poussin

Marinated in rosé, lemon, garlic, rosemary and dried chilli

 Poussin is not a bird that I cook very often. These tiny chickens are a very special treat and just ideal for the slow sizzle on a spit over charcoal embers. It's a bit like a mini version of the commercial 'Rotisserie' seen all over France; loads of chickens on large spits inticing passers by with their amazing aromas.

This special occasion was a weekend visit by our friends Lynn and Gary who had come up from Eton to stay. The previous weekend we stayed with my sister in law and were treated to roasted poussin, so it seemed the perfect indulgence and an opportunity to do something a bit different on the garden rotisserie.

I bought four poussins, each weighing about 450g which would, at a push, just about sqeeze together on my spit. The marinade made a perfect base for the light rosé wine sauce.

The meal kicked off with potted smoked trout and baby Yorkshire puddings as an entreé (from Jamie's  Great Britain), then the pousin with slow roasted vine tomatoes and a warm salad of green beans, asparagus and wild rice. For dessert, I made a decadent rosewater panna cotta with pink champagne and strawberry jelly.

INGREDIENTS (For the poussin and the rosé sauce)

- Four poussins (1 per person)
- 1 bottle of rosé (1/4 for the marinade, 3/4 for the sauce)
- 8 cloves of garlic (4 whole, 4 crushed)
- 2 lemons
- 2-3 dried red chillies, crumbled
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 tbsp of finely chopped rosemary
- 1 cup of good quality chicken stock
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 30g butter
- 1 tbsp plain flour

Weber chimney starter

METHOD

Start by marinating the poussins in a large bowl or sealable plastic bag with the wine, oil, grated rind of 2 lemons, the crushed garlic, rosemary, chilli flakes and juice of one of the lemons. The night before in the fridge is ideal, but for no less than 3-4 hours at room temperature at minimum. Before assembling the spit, insert 1/4 of a lemon and a whole clove of garlic into the cavities of each bird. These were on the rotisserie for about two hours. I was using fast burning British charcoal, it was fairly breezy and a chilly ten degrees outside, so regular charcoal top ups were required. (in the oven they would take 45-60 minutes at 180 deg C).

0 hrs 5 mins

1 hr 0 mins

Once the poussins are on the fire (or in the oven), the sauce can be pre-prepared and re-heated just before serving. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté the onions until soft. Add the marinade juices and wine, then reduce down by about 3/4 over a medium heat. Strain the redution through a sieve and allow to cool a little. To finish the sauce, whisk in the flour after it has cooled, then heat gently, whisking constantly. Slowly add the chicken stock as the sauce thickens until you get to your preferred sauce consistency.

2 hrs 0 mins

These little babies were just soooo tasty. Thanks to the long slow sizzle, the meat just fell off the bones and the little fiery kick from the chilli flakes was delightful. They were fun and messy to eat and the carnage left on the plates is now in the stock pot...

Crystalized rose petals for the panna cotta

The decadent rosewater panna cotta - with pink champagne and strawberry jelly

Spit Roasted Pork Belly

Cooked over a charcoal fire

This meal was prepared in honour of a visit from my parents in law from Hertfordshire, and my sister in law and family from south Wales. It's the begining of the Easter school break and our house was the meeting point for two young cousins to go off and spend a few days with their grandparents. It's not often that we are all together at our place so this special event called for some extra special effort.

I had a large piece of pork belly in the freezer that had been sitting waiting for an occasion just like this. It was also the first time I'd put pork belly on my outdoor rotisserie and I couldn't wait to see how it would come out. Intuitively I thought it ought to be ideal. It's the right size and shape and has plenty of skin to crackle up nicely and keep the meat moist on the inside.

The whole meal was a bit of a feast for the ten of us. In addition to the pork belly, I had a whole chicken in the Weber and some quality chipolata sausages along side. In the oven went roast potatoes plus home made balls of bacon and herb stuffing. Steamed carrots and green beans finished of the plates.

I'm a bit of a puritan when it comes to mixing meats and I wouldn't normally serve more than one meat at a time. Pork and chicken, however is a rare exception. The sauce that comes from a combination of pork and chicken stock also works very well.

Having defrosted the pork belly the night before, the first task was to remove the rib bones so I could roll the belly around the spit. I used a small sharp Opinel knife and kept the bones to make a stock for the gravy. I could have easily asked the butcher to do this for me, but at the time I didn't think to. It was fairly easy as it happened, it just took a bit of time.

Like any garden spit roast, you need plenty of time. This one took about 3/4 of an hour of preparation from starting the charcoal fire to assembling the pork belly on the spit. Getting the fire on at the right time is critical. You want the coals to be white hot when the pork goes on and this can take 20-30 minutes depending on the charcoal you are using. I normally focus on getting the charcoal started, and then use that time to prepare the spit. This spit roast was over the coals for three and a half hours.

A few musings on charcoal. I used high density imported lump wood charcoal as it is readily available and has a good burn time. Charcoal, when packaged and transported gets a bit of a hammering and you always get a good quarter or so of the charcoal as tiny bits or powder as a result of this. I do my best to separate the decent sized 'chunks' from the small bits and pieces. The chunks are perfect for starting a hot charcoal fire as the gaps allow plenty of oxygen to get between them. The bits and pieces I then sprinkle over the established coals using a small gardening trowel when it's time to add a bit more fuel.

After the first 20 minutes - Crackling starting nicely

For this spit roast, I used 2 to 2 1/2 kg of chunks at the beginning, and about an hour or so later started adding the small bits to keep the fire just hot enough to maintain a gentle sizzle on the pork. At the beginning, the white hot chunks are pumping heat at about 1000 deg C (1,800 deg F), then this reduces fairly constantly as the charcoal is consumed. After the first hour, the coals had died right down and definitely needed topping up. I added some more sprinklings around the edges every further 30 mins or so to keep the temperature fairly consistant.

After 50 minutes

And now a few musings on my outdoor rotisserie. I bought this almost three years ago in May 2009. It came with a small battery powered motor that takes two large 'D' sized batteries, the type frequently used in torches. Just before writing this article, I trawled through my photos, blogs and notes to work out exactly how many times I have used it since. On average it has been used about four times a year, between April and October. Each use means about 3 to 3 1/2 hours of continuous rotation. The original two batteries are still going, 13 uses and 45 hours later. I still can't believe it and even when I ran it yesterday it wasn't giving any signs of letting up. I've had a pair of batteries on standby since I bought it.

1 hr 15 mins - First topping up of charcoal

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: 3 and a half hours

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 as a generous main course):

- Pork belly (de-boned) - approx 30cm x 20 cm x 2 cm thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 large sprig of rosemary

2 hrs 40 mins - Our first guests arrive

METHOD:

First prepare the charcoal fire as above, then rub the pork with olive oil and salt before rolling around the spit with a large sprig of rosemary in the centre. Tie firmly with kitchen string. Arrange the charcoal around the edges so that there is none immediately beneath the meat. Otherwise the dripping fat will ignite and you do not want thick, sooty flames destroying your meal. Place the spit over the hot fire for the initial intense sizzle at the beginning, then after the first 45 mins to an hour when the coals have gone right down, add small amounts of additional fuel regularly to keep the pork at a gentle sizzle.

Carve into thick rounds and serve with a light gravy made from the stock from the bones.

My intuition proved correct. Pork belly is perfect for this type of cooking. The crackling cooks quickly at the beginning, and protects the meat inside to allow it to slow cook beautifully. All in all it was a winner and will definitely grace our table again. And again.

 3 hrs 30 mins - Ready for carving

Spit Roasted Lamb with Caper, Anchovy & Mint Salsa

Cooked over an oak wood fire

Inspired by an unexpectedly sunny and warm Sunday afternoon, I decided it was time to get outside and make some fire.

Our brazier had been stored in the garage since we went away at Christmas, the spit roasting kit was in bits in various kitchen cupboards and up in the garage roof were some beatifully seasoned oak branches that I had foraged last Autumn.

Something, of course was bound to go wrong. A critical piece of the spit roasting kit was not to be found, so in a last minute panic I cobbled together a support for one end of the spit from an old bicycle spanner and small G-clamp. I was determined not to be defeated.

As the spit roast was a fairly last minute decision, I needed to buy the food and get hold of some kitchen string, as mine had run out. I planned to call into a supermarket on the way back from taking our daughter to her drama class in Oxford. I was going to be pushed for time but it seemed the most sensible option. My list was not complicated; lamb leg (on or off the bone), capers, anchovies, fresh mint and a few other essentials whilst I was at it.

Parking in Summertown in Oxford can be hit and miss, so I considered two options. If I could park easily in Summertown, I'd get everything I needed from one or two of the supermarkets there. If not, then I'd head straight back to Witney and get everything I needed from Waitrose in the town centre. Luckily, as I was driving through Summertown, I nabbed a parking bay just as someone was pulling out. Great, time saved already. There are two supermarkets there, a fairly large Co-op and a Marks and Spencer.

I started with the Co-op to grab the essentials and anything else they had that was on my list. Essentials, fine. Capers and anchovies also fine. Mint? Lamb? Kitchen string? Nope. Fortunately M&S was just next door. I headed straight for the fresh produce, picked up two packets of lovely looking mint leaves then headed to the fresh meat section. Nothing. Diced lamb only. Not much good for spit roasting unfortunately. I re-calculated my options and realised that I now had no choice other than to head for the Witney town centre as well. Saving a bit more time I dumped the mint leaves to avoid the busy checkout, and legged it to the car.

The twenty minute or so journey gave me time to calm down a bit and re-plan the rest of my errands. There are two large supermarkets in the Witney town centre, a huge Sainsburys and the Waitrose. There was a fighting chance that everything I needed would be at either of the two. As I passed it first, I pulled in to Sainsburys. Easy parking, a good sign, so hopefully not too packed. I found two very nice packets of lamb leg, off the bone. They would be perfect to 'sandwich' them around the spit. Mint leaves, yes, fine. Now kitchen string? I hunted around the kitchenware area and saw nothing, I hunted for some one to ask and they didn't stock it. In a store the size of a football pitch. Can you believe it.

Waitrose, here I come. And it was the last place I bought kitchen string. Why didn't I just go straight there in the first place? By now I'm kicking myself. Easy parking again, another good sign. I headed straight for the kitchenware section and became immediately confused. The entire section was almost completely empty with a few odds and sods marked down for clearance. Not my day. I found someone to help, and was told that the kitchen ware section was being re-modelled. Great. And kitchen string? Please, I always buy it from here? Sorry, out of stock. I pleaded for to the poor assistant to help me and suggest where, at 3:40pm on a Sunday I might get some? I could try Cargo just opposite I was told. I bolted across the pavement, found someone straight away to ask. Sorry, we don't stock it. We looked at eachother and simultaneously said 'Lakeland'. A few minutes walk away. I was saved. They had some. By now I was at least 45 minutes behind my planned schedule, so we would be eating a little later than usual.

I finally got home. Six shops and about an hour later than planned. I relayed my disaster story to my wife who found it much funnier than I did. But, I had made it back, and now it was time to play. I grabbed a much needed cold beer, prepared and lit the fire, and retreated to the kitchen to sort out the spit roast.

INGREDIENTS:

For the spit roast:

- Lamb leg, off the bone
- 4-5 anchovy fillets
- 4-5 peeled and squashed garlic cloves
- 1 dollop of butter
- Mint leaves, roughly broken up
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil to rub on the outside
- Kitchen string (!)

For the salsa:

- Large handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp drained capers, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- 4-5 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, finley chopped
- 2 tbs good olive oil
- 1 tbsp wine vinegar
- 1 tsp of fine demerara sugar
- Salt and pepper

METHOD:

For the spit roast (can also be done in a oven or Weber):

Place the capers, anchovies, garlic, butter and mint on the inside of the lamb. Roll the lamb around the spit and secure tightly with kitchen string. Rub the outside with olive oil and season generously with salt. I added a few potatoes to either ends of the spit after giving them a 5 minute head start in the microwave.

Spit roast gently for about two hours. I started the fire with oak pieces, let it burn down and then occasionally topped it up with a few sprinklings of those charcoal dreggs that accumulate at the bottom of the bag.

Alternatively, prepare the lamb as above and bake on a baking tray in the oven for the recommended time depending on the weight of the meat.

For the salsa:

Simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and test for seasoning. You can adjust the proportions as you like, but the above quantities delivered a very moist and minty salsa, with a subtle hint of the anchovies and capers. It was a bit of an experiment, but it worked a treat.

By the time it came to serve the lamb it was delicous. Moist and tender with lovely crispy, caramelised bits around the edges. We had half of it last night, the remaining half is wrapped in foil in the fridge for later in the week. We devoured the salsa, even the kids (I didn't mention the anchovies or capers), so I will have to make some more. Soon.

Garden Spit Roast - Chapter 4

GIANT LAMB KEBAB
This is a bit like putting a normal sized kebab on a photocopier and making it ten times the size. This experiment is actually the precursor for the giant goat kebab fantasy that I am promising myself will happen this summer.

INGREDIENTS:

- 1.9kg leg of lamb, boned and cut into about 6 fist sized chunks.

- 1 red onion cut in half

- 2-3 mixed peppers cut in half and de-seeded

- 1 tablespoon of freshly ground cumin

- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

- 1 handful of fresh coriander leaves

- 1 teaspoon of salt

METHOD:

Mix the lamb, olive oil, ground cumin, and coriander leaves in a bowl and cover for a few hours to marinate. Prepare the charcoal fire and let it mature whilst the giant kebab is being assembled. Good lumpwood charcoal is best, and keep the coals to the sides, not beneath the food.

On a 60cm spit, alternate chunks of lamb, onion and peppers and pack them tightly together. Season the surface of the lamb with salt. Start cooking the kebab when the charcoal is at its hottest, then let the embers burn down a bit, only adding small amounts of fuel every 30 minutes or so.

To get meltingly tender lamb, you need to let it cook slowly for 2-3 hours over coals that are just hot enough to create a very gentle sizzle on the surface of the meat.

This one of course was done on my trusty battery powered rotisserie which has featured since Garden Spit Roast - Chapter 2 (and still running on the same two batteries I have to add), but with proper dedication, it could have been done by hand in the same way many Italians cook capretto (roasted baby goat or kid) beside an open fire.

Roxy Joins the Family

Roxy is our newly aquired 1972 VW Dormobile camper van. I've been commuting to Oxford in her for a week or so now and have started to become more used to the details and idiosyncrasies of the 37 year old camper. Having been a teenager in the late 70's really helped, this type of driving was normal then and it really makes you realise how you come to expect the luxuries of modern motoring. She has a top speed of about 55mph and we are busy researching great locations within a couple of hours drive from home.

We're still doing a bit of work restoring her original interior fittings, so meanwhile, I dream of days out and weekends away with Roxy and the 'go anywhere' Weber barbeque. The rotisserie will definitely feature in future outings too.