Spatchcock and bitter orange casserole

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 3 Seville oranges (or cumquats or grapefruit for a bitter-sweet taste)
• 3 x 500 g spatchcocks
• ½ cup mustard seed oil
• 3 large carrots, julienned
• 1 Spanish onion, sliced thin
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ tsp saffron threads, crushed and mixed with a tablespoon of water
• 2 fresh green chillies, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup coarsely chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp unsalted pistachios, shelled and toasted
• 2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
• couscous or rice cooked with stock, to serve

Instructions

Use a vegetable peeler to remove rind. Julienne rind and place in a small saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Drain, repeat process and drain again to remove excess bitterness.

Remove pith from oranges with sharp knife. Segment oranges and remove membrane and pips. Keep flesh and juice.

Truss spatchcocks by tying legs and wings against body. Heat mustard seed oil in deep flame-proof casserole dish over medium heat and brown spatchcocks all over. Remove and set aside.

Add carrot and onion to casserole, toss to coat with oil and cook over medium heat until soft. Return spatchcocks to casserole, add julienned rind, reserved orange juice, stock, cinnamon, saffron liquid, chilli and the salt.

Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until spatchcocks are tender, then stir in coriander. Remove spatchcocks from sauce, cut in halves. Stir in orange segments and return spatchcocks to sauce.

Sprinkle with nuts and serve with couscous or rice and Turkish bread.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.