Grilled chicken with radicchio, fennel and walnuts recipe, Paper Daisy, Cabarita Beach, NSW (2024)

• 1 small chicken (about 900gm)
• 75 gm fine sea salt
• ½ bunch each lemon thyme and dill, coarsely torn
• 1 navel orange, rind thinly zested with a peeler, pith removed and flesh segmented
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 radicchio, thick white sections discarded, leaves coarsely torn
• To serve: dill sprigs

• 50 gm (2½ tbsp) fine sea salt
• 1 fennel bulb
• 500 ml (2 cups) chardonnay vinegar
• 25 gm caster sugar
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• 1 each star anise and clove

• 80 gm walnuts
• 80 gm caster sugar
• For deep-frying: sunflower oil

• 200 ml freshly squeezed orange juice
• 50 ml chardonnay vinegar
• 50 gm caster sugar
• 2 tsp walnut oil
• 100 ml grapeseed oil

Main

• 1

  For pickled fennel, stir salt and 500ml water in a saucepan over medium heat until salt dissolves (1-2 minutes). Set aside to cool (20-30 minutes), then place in a ziplock bag with whole fennel and squeeze air from bag while sealing it so fennel is covered completely in brine. Set aside in a cool dark place for 3 days. Meanwhile, stir vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat to dissolve sugar, then set aside to cool. Dry-roast spices over low-medium heat until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Remove fennel from brine, rinse under cold running water, shake off excess water, and place in a ziplock bag with vinegar mixture and spices, seal squeezing out air so fennel is covered. Set aside in a cool dark place until fennel is pickled through to the centre (2 weeks). Remove fennel and thinly slice on a mandolin before serving.

• 2

  Wash chicken, pat dry with paper towels. Place on a wire rack place over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 2 days to dry out skin.

• 3

  Stir salt and 500ml water in a saucepan over medium heat until dissolved (2-4 minutes). Add 1 litre cold water and set aside until cooled completely (1 hour). Place chicken in a deep non-reactive container that fits it snugly, cover with brine and refrigerate until chilled (1 hour). Remove from brine, dry with paper towels and return to refrigerator on a rack with tray underneath for an hour to dry again.

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• 4

  Meanwhile, for candied walnuts, preheat oven to 180C and line a heatproof tray with baking paper. Roast walnuts on an oven tray, shaking occasionally, until golden brown (5-7 minutes). Transfer walnuts to a saucepan with sugar and 80ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then boil without stirring until nuts are glazed and sugar reaches 120C (5-6 minutes). Pour onto prepared tray, separate nuts with a fork and set aside to cool (10-15 minutes). Heat oil to 170C in a deep saucepan and deep-fry nuts in batches until caramelised (1½-2 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to a plate to cool. Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

• 5

  Meanwhile, for orange dressing, reduce 150ml orange juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat to a medium-thick glaze (5-7 minutes). Add vinegar and sugar and reduce again to a thick syrup (2½-3 minutes). Add remaining juice, whisk in oils, season to taste and set aside.

• 6

  Heat a charcoal barbecue (or use a char-grill pan and and finish the cooking in a 160C oven). Stuff cavity of chicken with herbs and orange rind, truss chicken legs with twine and bring chicken to room temperature (45 minutes to 1 hour). Season chicken to taste, rub with oil and grill directly on all sides until browned (7-9 minutes). Set rack to indirect heat and cover barbecue, or transfer chicken to an oven tray and roast in oven until just cooked through (30-40 minutes). Set aside to rest in a warm place (10-15 minutes), then carve into bite-size pieces.

• 7

  To serve, layer radicchio, chicken and pickled fennel on a large platter and season to taste. Drizzle with dressing and scatter with orange segments, walnuts and dill.