INGREDIENTS
Spiced honey brine
2 litres (8 cups) water
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cm piece ginger (15 g), thinly sliced
2 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns
4 star anise
2 tsp cardamom pods
75 g (1/3 cup firmly packed) brown sugar
360 g (1 cup) honey
100 g (1/3 cup) coarse cooking salt
60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
Grilled chicken
6 chicken legs
To serve
Spring onions, sliced
METHOD
Spiced honey brine
- Bring 1 cup of the water to the boil in a saucepan on high heat, induction setting 9. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and spices into the boiling water and remove from the heat. Allow to steep, for 5 minutes.
- Place the remaining water, brown sugar, honey, salt and soy sauce into a separate saucepan on a medium heat, induction setting 7. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until sugar and honey has dissolved.
- Add the steeped onion mixture and stir. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Grilled chicken
- Once the brining mixture has cooled add the chicken legs. Cover and place into the fridge for 24 hours.
- Remove chicken from the liquid and strain the brine through a fine mesh sieve.
- Reserve 500 ml of liquid, discard the rest including the spices.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towel before placing onto a tray. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, uncovered.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and place onto a grilling and roasting insert in a universal tray.
- Place the tray into the combi steam oven on shelf level 2. Select Combi Mode:
- Stage 1: Fan Plus at 200°C + 95% moisture + 25 minutes
- Stage 2: Fan Plus at 200°C+ 0% moisture + 12 minutes
- Stage 3: Grill setting 3 + 4 minutes + 0% moisture.
- Pour the reserved brine in a saucepan and heat on high heat, induction setting 7 and bring to the boil and reduce by half.
To serve
- Place chicken on a dish, spooning over the reduced pan juices. Garnish with spring onions and serve with steamed greens.
Hints and tips
- To French chicken legs, run a sharp knife around the bottom of the leg to cut the skin.
- Chicken Marylands can also be used in this recipe.
- Leaving chicken uncovered in the refrigerator helps the skin to crisp.
- This recipe serves 6 amongst other dishes. Double the recipe if serving alone.
- Vacuum seal the chicken in brine for a quicker marinating time.