3lb Whole Chicken
At the grocery store, you’d need an entire chicken to cover 3lbs, but the huge, juicy chickens from Peregrine Farm are big enough that we only needed 1/2 of a chicken!
Jerk Chicken
The pièce-de-résistance of this dish is, of course, a beautiful Peregrine Farm chicken, prepared in the traditional Jamaican jerk style.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Method
1.At least 1 day before cooking, cut chicken into 4 quarters and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine all other ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a coarse paste. Then, slather that delectable rub over the chicken, including under skin. Let that baby marinade in the refrigerator for 12 to 36 hours. Finally, bring the chicken to room temperature and lightly sprinkle with more salt and ground allspice.
Now you’re ready to cook!
2. Prepare one side of your barbeque for high, direct heat. If you are using charcoal or wood, make sure there is a cool side to the grill where there are few to no coals.
Lay the chicken pieces skin side down on the hottest side of the grill in order to sear the skin side well. Grill for 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot the grill is (you do not want the chicken to burn).
Once you have a good sear on one side, turn the chicken pieces over and move them to the cooler side of the grill.
Cover the grill and cook undisturbed for 20-30 minutes.
3. To test if the cooking is finished, cut into the meat to the bone. The chicken is done when the juices run clear.
Finally, put the pieces, skin side down, on the hot side of the grill. Allow them to sear and blacken slightly for a minute or two before serving.
Plate alongside the Eggplant Chutney and Beet Risotto to get the full Purple Chicken experience!
Beet Risotto
A mouth-wateringly yummy side dish. Comforting and delicate taste, sweet and savoury with a mild yet distinctly beet earthy flavour.
This recipe should take about 30 minutes to prepare and should make enough for seconds or even thirds!
What you’ll need:
Method
1. In a moderately sized pot, warm the broth over medium heat.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
Stir in the raw rice to coat with the oil, toast for 2 minutes.
2.Add the beets, onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3.Pour in the wine and cook until absorbed into the rice, then begin adding broth a couple of ladles at a time, stirring with each addition, until the rice is cooked, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with crumbled Feta cheese to serve.
Eggplant Chutney
This is the most unique and challenging part of the meal to prepare. A zesty dish hailing from the Indian subcontinent, topped with a refreshing blanched bean salad.
Do note that eggplant has a very interesting flavour and may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
For the Chutney, gather these ingredients:
Blanched Bean Salad
Fold together the following ingredients in a large bowl:
Method
1. Prepare the eggplant by quartering it lengthwise and slicing each quarter into thick rounds on the diagonal. Chop the red onion into long, thin strips.
2.Heat half the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onions until softened. Toss in the spices and continue to cook, stirring for 1 minute or until fragrant. Then stir in the tomato paste and allow the flavours to get to know each other for a few more seconds.
3.Pour in the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar and cook the mixture until reduced and jam-like before gently stirring in the seeded mustard. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and pan-fry the eggplant slices until golden all over.
4. Once fried, slide the eggplant into the spiced tomato sauce, stir to coat each slice evenly, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Season to taste.
5.Prepare the blanched bean salad. (I hope you blanched your beans and toasted your almonds ahead of time!)
6.To plate the chutney, scoop a comfortable helping onto the plate and top with the bean salad, sprinkling with more toasted almonds and feta to your liking. I propped a single leaf of mint on top as a final touch.
Challenge Complete!
We did it, gang! We made the StratLab Purple Chicken!
Did you make it through this kitchen marathon? Maybe you did something differently and it turned out really well (or went horribly wrong!)
Tell us about it in the comments section below!
Oh, and feel free to share this article with your friends, if they like cooking and enjoy a challenge.
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