Kym’s Kitchen You don't have to be a chef

Wednesday, 13 June 2012 13:03

Written by Editor

Lettuce, which is a good source of vitamin A and potassium, is not just for a salad, you’ll be amazed how tasty cooked lettuce can be!  This recipe comes to us once again from Ian Wooldridge,  Head Chef at Kimbridge Farm, near Romsey.

Braised Lettuce with Slow Roasted Chicken

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

•  4 large chicken legs
•  150ml of dry white wine
•  1 teaspoon of dried thyme
•  A little salt and pepper
•  4 gem lettuce (or small romaine)
•  500ml of chicken stock
•  1 tablespoonful of olive oil
•  4 slices of streaky bacon (about 180-200 grams), cut widthways into strips
•  1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
•  Salt & freshly milled black pepper
•  Olive oil

Directions

Place the chicken into a roasting dish and add the wine. Next, sprinkle over the dried thyme and season with a little salt and pepper.Cover the roasting dish with baking foil, being careful  not to touch the foil against the chicken.
Roast in the oven at 180?C (160?C fan)/Gas Mark 4 for 2 hours. Remove the foil and return the chicken to the oven for a further 45 minutes. When cooked, set aside and cover again with foil to keep warm.
Meanwhile, thoroughly wash the gem lettuce and remove and discard any outer leaves that may not be in good condition.  Place these snugly into another roasting dish and then pour in the chicken stock. Now heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the bacon. Fry the bacon until it becomes crispy (about 5 minutes) and remove it to a dish using a slotted spoon.
To the remaining fat, add the onions. Gently cook the onions until they become soft and translucent (about 3-4 minutes).  Mix the cooked bacon and onions together and sprinkle over the gem lettuce.
Season the lettuce well with plenty of salt and pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 200C (180C fan)/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with the chicken and some potatoes of your choice.