Corn Fed Free Range Chicken Open

This year's Corn-fed Free Range Chicken Division at the Culinary Fare was another great event with top dishes being produced by competitiors from around the country. Rangitikei sponsored 12 eager chefs who battled against the clock to create culinary delights from a Rangitikei Breast.

1st Place: Caetano Godinho of Te Awa Winery, Hawkes Bay
2nd Place: Ashoka Kulatunga of Stamford Plaza Auckland
3rd Place: Kasey Jean Earle of A Deco Restaurant, Whangarei

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast on a bed of Bacon & Apricot Infused Mediterranean style Cous Cous.Accompanied by Panch Vegetables and a Kumara Puree and garnished with Tomato Thyme Jus & Crispy Chicken Skin.

Recipe by Caetano Godinho

4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 cup Spinach
3 Garlic Cloves
1 1/2 tsp Washed Thyme and Rosemary

Cous Cous
100gm cous cous
2 bacon diced (sticky)
10gm apricot diced
10gm Onion
30ml Chicken Stock
20gm Carrot
10gm Corn Kernels and Pistachio

Jus
120ml Brown Chicken Stock
20ml Red Wine
40gm Chicken Bones
20gm Diced Carrots, Onions, Celery, Leek
1 bayleaf

Vegetables
50gm Baby Carrots
50gm Baby Turnip

Puree
80gm Kumara
20gm Cream
2 sprig Thyme and Rosemary
2 Garlic Gloves

Tomato Foam
100ml Tomato Juice
20gm Garlic Cloves
500ml Water
1 tsp lecithin
20gm Tomato Paste

Butter and oil for cooking
Salt and Pepper

Chicken
Insert knife in side chicken breast and stuff with sautéed spinach. Then roll with glad wrap, poach in stock, then roast in pan with herbs and garlic.

Cous Cous
Saute onion, chopped carrot, corn kernels, pistachio, bacon and apricot. Add cous cous chicken stock and cook for 3-4 mins. Keep aside and wrap with glad wrap.

Jus
Roast chicken bones, add onions carrot celery and leek. Deglaze with red wine. Add bay leaves. Reduce until you get a nice sauce. Strain with fine strainer.

Puree
Cook kumara with cream, garlic and herbs. Once cooked make puree using blender. Finish with butter, salt and pepper.

Vegetables
Peel and blanche vegetables quickly in hot salted water. Refresh in ice water. Saute in butter.

Tomato Foam
Saute onion and garlic. add tomato paste, cook for a while, then add the tomot juice water. Cook until boiling. Remove and add lecithin and seasoning. Foam with blender.

Assembly
Warm up all accompaniments and serve with jus and garnish with crispy chicken skin.