POUSSINS ON A BED OF PUMPKIN AND LEEKS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

  • POUSSINS ON A BED OF PUMPKIN AND LEEKS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

POUSSINS ON A BED OF PUMPKIN AND LEEKS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Description

(serves 6)


A poussin is a small chicken four to eight weeks old and a generously suitable portion for one person. Poussins are often referred to as squab chickens. They are available at speciality stores such as Moore Wilson Fresh. If your butchers shop or supermarket doesnt stock them, they should be able to get them in for you.

INGREDIENTS

600g peeled and cubed pumpkin
1 medium onion (peeled and sliced)
3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
1 leek ( white part finely sliced)
3 sprigs rosemary
125ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 poussins (usually weigh between 400g to 500g each)
125ml (1/2 cup) balsamic vinegar (placed in a small pot over a medium heat and reduced to half its volume)

METHOD

  • Preheat oven to 200ºC.
  • Place pumpkin, onion, garlic and leek on base of a roasting tray. Pour half of oil over vegetables and toss so that vegetables are covered. Season to taste.
  • Place poussins on top of vegetables, drizzle with remaining oil and season.
  • Place roasting tray in oven and roast for 25 minutes or until poussin juices no longer run pink, wings and legs can easily be pulled from bodies and vegetables are soft.
  • Turn oven to grill.
  • Drizzle balsamic vinegar over poussins and place under grill for 4 to 5 minutes until skin begins to go crispy and mahogany coloured.
  • Remove rosemary from vegetables and place vegetables on individual plates or on a serving platter with a poussin, or poussins, on top. Drizzle any juice remaining in roasting tray over poussins.