Recipes

A favourite from Henrietta Green for a different way to serve bolted lettuce.

Serves 4

    8 - 12 Chicken portions - wings, breast, thighs or drumsticks (whichever you prefer) or 1 chicken, cut into joints

For the Marinade

    5 tbsp olive oil
    juice of 1 lemon
    bunch of fresh chervil, chopped
    sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Lettuce Sauce

    50g/2oz unsalted butter
    1 small bunch spring onions, finely chopped
    1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
    1 Cos or Butterhead lettuce, finely chopped
    3 tbsp dry white wine
    2 tbsp crème fraiche

Method

Slash the skin of the chicken joints and put them in a suitable bowl for marinading. Mix the olive oil together with the lemon juice and half of the chervil, season and pour over the chicken. Leave to stand for a couple of hours.

To cook the chicken, remove from the marinade and grill the chicken either on a pre-heated grill pan, under a preheated grill or, if the weather holds, on the barbecue. Grill until cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with the marinade.

Meanwhile to make the sauce, melt the butter over a low heat and add the spring onions, chilli and cook for a couple of minutes to soften. Add the lettuce and stir until coated in butter. Pour in the white wine, cover and simmer gently for about 5-7 minutes or until the lettuce has thoroughly collapsed.

Whiz the sauce in a food processor until smooth. With the machine still running, add the remaining chervil and the crème fraiche. Season and serve with the chicken.