This divine spiced chicken with unexpected walnut stuffing works perfectly with the pumpkin, and do make the grape, burghul and witlof salad to go with it.
Ingredients
- 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup Walnuts
- 4 Cloves garlic (Split)
- 3 teaspoons Cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons Sea salt flakes
- 2 teaspoons Black peppercorns
- 6 Sprigs thyme (Leaves only)
- 1.4 kg Free-range organic chicken (Butterflied (ask your butcher to do this))
- 100 gms Butter (Cut into small cubes)
- 1 Jap pumpkin (Skin on, cut into 8 wedges)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220(degree)C.
- Heat half the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat and cook the walnuts and garlic, tossing, for 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds and season with a little salt. Cook for another 2 minutes. then pour the mixture into a mortar and pestle. Add the peppercorns, thyme and remaining salt and pound to a rough paste.
- Gently separate the skin from the flesh in pockets all over the chicken and stuff with the paste, adding small cubes of butter as you go.
- Spread out the pumpkin wedges in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining oil. Sit the chicken on top and roast for 45-55 minutes until cooked and golden brown. Rest for about 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
Serves 4