Can't Help Myself!

While on the subject of 'chickens', I thought I'd give you a couple of recipes for non-toxic chickens, just in case I've whetted your taste buds. Sneak into your neighbour's yard tonight and swipe a couple of his chickens, that way you'll be sure not to get poisoned. Don't tell your neighbour I was the one who advised you to do this or he might sue me on Monday!

Roast Spatchcock with Lemon & Herbs: Make a lemon and herb paste: Combine 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, 1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves, 1/2 cup basil leaves, 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped sage, 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind and 2 tablespoons extra virgin oil in a food processor. Process until a paste forms. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Using hands, loosen skin on four spatchcocks by pushing your fingers between skin and breast meat, then rub 1 tablespoon of paste over meat. Pull skin back over meat. Season to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large flameproof casserole and brown spatchcocks, in batches, until golden all over, then remove from pan. Rub spatchcocks with remaining paste and set aside. Heat some more oil in pan, add some eggplant chopped, 4 small zucchini, chopped, 4 egg tomatoes, coarsely chopped, 1 red capsicum/pepper, chopped, 2 Spanish onions, chopped and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup burghul (cracked wheat), then add spatchcocks, cover with tight-fitting lid and pot roast at 220C for 20 minutes. Remove lid, then roast a further 10 minutes or until spatchcocks are cooked. Serve on a bed of the vegetable mixture.

Smoked Chicken in Filo: Chop 1 bunch chives and mix with 300ml sour cream. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, a little fresh ground black pepper and the juice of half a lemon. Remove meat from 1 smoked chicken and place bones in a saucepan with 400ml a rich chicken stock, 1/2 cup white wine and a dash of port. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer to reduce to about 400ml. Remove one sheet of the filo pastry. Brush liberally with melted butter or with olive oil. Place oiled side down on a second sheet of pastry. Take about 1/6th of the smoked chicken meat and place it at one end of the pastry. Peel 2 avocados and slice thinly. Place 1/6th avocado on top of the chicken on the pastry. Add a heaped tablespoon of the sour cream mixture. Form into a log shape by folding both edges of the pastry into the centre and rolling up. Brush the roll with more melted butter or oil and place on a baking tray. Repeat five more times with the remaining mixtures. Bake the rolls in a preheated 200C oven until the pastry is browned, about 15-20 minutes. To serve: pour a little of the hot, reduced sauce on each of six plates and top with a filo roll.