Roasted chicken and chorizo.

The go-to dish at Chateau le Stockdale, but then, why the hell wouldn’t it be. This is the sort of thing that you could put into the Breville sandwich press and it’s going to come out cracking. Put it on a pizza with cows curd and parsley, in a burger, or in a pasta with cherry tomatoes and mint. On the grill, in the oven, in a pan, as a stew, or the bbq are all feasible methods to cook the same ingredients for very different yet still very similar results. And if it’s done over the coals you know you’re in for an extra 18 points at the very least. Some of the lesser known and accomplished cooking methods may be between the saddle and your horse as you ride eastward to glory, and between your stomach and the stomach/back of your partner while making sweet, sweet chicken and chorizo-y love.

We have friends and family staying at the mo’, and when past Graz asked Jennee what he should prepare for the feast she immediately suggested that she would think that chicken and chorizo would be a favourable choice. Evereee time. That girl is as predictable like the five buck hooker outside the bowls club on gentleman’s night… but heaps prettier!

On a semi-related side note*, Pauly is coming (I know. You thought he was just walking funny, right?) and we shall be doing things together that two men should never do in the kitchen… and we’ll probably cook up some crazy food too… or maybe we will just get drunk and I’ll cook chicken and chorizo. Either way, we’re on a winner. Get ready for this!

HONKY DORY STOCK STANDARD BASIC OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN AND CHORIZO with charred chilli puree for a little extra pizazz

6 chicken marylands (thigh with leg attached)

2-3 good chorizo sausage, slice 1cm thick on the diagonal. Or slice them straight if you have a phobia about that sort of thing

1 lemon, quartered

1 onion, cut into wedges

4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole

1 cup or so of apple cider and 2 tablespoons of plain flour to make gravy if you’re keen. Actually, make the farking gravy even if you’re not keen. It rules

Seasoning

• Give the chicken a splash of olive oil, enough so it looks all glossy like the over weight Euro tourist on the town beach. You know, the one who smells slightly over baked? And then season it with salt and pepper
• Roast at 180C for 30 minutes, then add all other ingredients (except the stuff for the gravy, unless you want to look like a true twat**) and roast for another 20 or so minutes, until everything is looking golden and temping… what, are we heroin junkies now? No? Well we damn well should be…
• Once its all ready strain the juices into a pan and put on a moderate heat. Mix the flour with a good splash of apple cider to make a slurry. Now whisk the slurry into the pan juices and add the rest of the apple cider. Whisk so it doesn’t get lumpy. Cook out for a couple of minutes on a low simmer, adding a little more liquid if it gets to thick. Check seasoning
• All good to eat now

CHARRED CHILLI PUREE

3 jalepeno fresh chillis, charred over an open flame and then peeled

1 clove garlic, charred and then peeled (it won’t be very soft but that’s how we want it)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup lovely olive oil

• Combine and blitz
• Check seasoning
• Put on chicken

AND THIS SAME THING COOKED CAMPING STYLEE

*I only said it was a semi-related side note

**that was there purely for Pauly. Everyone else; stop looking at things that aren’t meant for you!!!