Ingredients:
- Chicken - 1 whole corn fed chicken
- Mixed herbs- 1/2 tbsp.
- Olive oil 150ml
- Nduja - 150g
- Pearl barley - 200g uncooked
- Onion - 1 whole onion peeled and finely chopped
- Garlic - 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
- Carrot - 3pc peeled and roughly chopped into cubes
- Datterini Tomatoes - 400ml
- Basil - 20g
- Pumpkin seeds - 1tbsp
- Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - 10g
- Salt/Pepper - to taste
Directions:
- Mix 1 tbsp. olive oil and the mixed herbs seasoning into a bowl and massage into the flesh of the chicken and leave to stand for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 220c then place the chicken on a roasting rack with a tray underneath and cook for 20 minutes. Turn down to 170c and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
- Rinse the pearl barley twice in a colander or until the water runs clear.
- Place the pearl barley into a saucepan and top with 800ml water and a pinch of salt
- Bring the pearl barley to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked (Treat it like cooking rice) drain the excess water
- In a frying pan, add 2tbsp olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and carrots until soft but not brown, then add the pearl barley and mix well
- Add the datterini tomatoes to the pan and top up with 150ml of water and reduce to a simmer. Slowly cook for 10-15 minutes or until it has a risotto like texture.
- Crumble the Njuda into the risotto and cook for a further 5 minutes or until all the pieces have melted, adjust the salt and pepper to taste
- Remove from the heat, add 1g freshly torn basil and set aside
- To make the pesto, in a blender add 15g basil, 100ml olive oil, pumpkin seeds and grated Parmigiano cheese and blend till smooth, add salt and pepper as per taste.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
- Plate the risotto, and top with the homemade pesto.
- Garnish with the rest of the basil.
- Serve and enjoy! :)
Recipe by Chef Max Strait - https://www.instagram.com/thebeardedbritchef