Braised Chicken Tabaka
Servings
8 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 cups water
- 6 cups cold water
- 8 Cornish hens 1 pound each, spatchcocked
- 1 bunch thyme divided
- 1 to 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 cup dehydrated cured black olives pitted
- 2 cups Kalamata olives
- 2 cups Castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup garlic confit or roasted garlic
- 1 cup peeled black garlic
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup ground coriander
- ⅛ cup fennel seed toasted and ground
- 2 whole preserved lemons chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary stems removed
- ¼ cup smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Guajillo chili powder
- ½ cup drained chopped capers
- ½ cup chopped pickled green peppercorns optional
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup reserved olive mixture from marinade
- 1 fennel bulb diced
- 2 shallots diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ preserved lemon chopped
- ¼ cup drained chopped capers
- ½ cup port wine
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ bunch dill stems removed and leaves chopped
- ¼ bunch parsley stems removed and leaves chopped
- ¼ bunch dill stems removed and leaves chopped
- ¼ bunch parsley stems removed and leaves chopped
- ¼ bunch mint stems removed and leaves chopped
- ¼ bunch cilantro stems removed and leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Garnish: pickled onion rings or shaved marinated zucchini
Instructions
- CORNISH HENS:
- Combine 2 cups salt, 2 cups sugar, and 4 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat just to dissolve all sugar and salt.
- Add 6 cups cold water to a large bowl or container. You will need a large enough container or bowl to hold all hens and brine. Add brine and make sure the mixture is cool before placing chicken in it. Brine for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil to a large cast iron pan or heavy roasting pan, over high heat. Place hens skin-side down in the pan and sear for 5 minutes, until browned. Once browned, hens should release easily (if not, sear for another minute). Remove from heat and flip them over so skin-side is facing up.
- MARINADE:
- In a large bowl, combine cured black olives, Kalamata olives and Castelvetrano olives. Remove 1 cup of mixture and set aside for salsa. Add garlic confit, black garlic, 5 cloves minced garlic, fennel, coriander, 2 preserved lemons, rosemary, paprika, 4 sprigs thyme (stems removed), black pepper, chili powder, ½ cup capers, green peppercorns, 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, and 1 cup olive oil. Transfer to food processor and pulse until pieces are small and chunky (do not process until smooth).
- Pour marinade over warm hens. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
- After hens have marinated, preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roast hens in a 375°F oven for 30 minutes, or when internal temperature reaches 165°F. Meanwhile, make olive salsa.
- OLIVE SALSA:
- Add 2 tablespoons of evoo in a large saucepan over medium heat. To the pan, add the reserved 1 cup of olive mixture, fennel, shallots, remaining 5 cloves garlic, ½ preserved lemon and ¼ cup capers. Sauté vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add wine and thyme sprigs and cook for 6 minutes, until liquid has reduced. Add 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove thyme sprigs; discard. Remove from heat and stir in half of the dill and parsley.
- FRESH HERB SALAD:
- In a large bowl, toss remaining dill, parsley, mint, and cilantro with a few tablespoons olive, a squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper.
- Serve hens on a large platter with Olive Salsa spooned over them. Garnish with fresh herb salad.