01 Ingredients
2 petit poussin
2 garlic cloves crushed
1tbs cayenne pepper
1tbs smoked paprika
1tbs ground red eye chilli
1tbs za'atar
1tbs fish sauce
Olive oil
1 lemon
Salt
1tbs fresh coriander or parsley finely chopped
PETIT POUSSIN PERI PERI
serves 2
02 Preparation
Mix together the crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, ground chilli, fish sauce and za’atar with olive oil to form a medium density paste. Add a touch of salt
Rub this all over the outside of the poussin and pour some into the inner cavity
Cut 2 thin slices of the lemon and insert into the cavity
Allow to marinade for min 2 hours to 24 hours in the fridge
Remove from the fridge at least one hour before cooking to allow the poussins to return to room temperature
Heat the oven to 220˚C fan
Place the poussins in a roasting pan and cook them for 25 min
Reduce the oven temperature to 180˚C and allow to cook for a further 25 min, basting them halfway with some of the juices.
Pierce in the thickest part to check that the inner juices run clear, and if cooked, remove from the oven
03 Plating
Cut each poussin on the length on the breast side, plating them cut side down. Spoon over some of the sauce from the pan, and garnish with the coriander or parsley. Have plenty of extra serviettes on the table, and a bowl to discard the small bones
Cook’s Notes
If you prefer the sauce from the roasting pan to be thicker, transfer the sauce into a pan and thicken with a paste made with some of the sauce and cornstarch, or add some roux if you have. Slowly add back to the sauce in the pan while stirring. Cover the petit poussins to keep warm while doing this