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There is a unique comfort in the dishes we call classics, recipes that bring a sense of familiarity while leaving space for reinvention. British cooking is full of such touchstones, of dishes that feel timeless, yet that also respond beautifully to a fresh approach. I love exploring that balance, keeping the heart of a dish while introducing flavours, textures and ideas that make it feel new, and that’s the philosophy at the heart of Rosi, our new restaurant at the Beaumont hotel in London. Chicken diane and chicken kiev may be rooted in nostalgia, yet, with a little imagination, they can become exciting again.
Chicken kiev (pictured top)
Sometimes, even just a tiny tweak to an old favourite can make a world of difference. And, yes, truffle paste is a little pricey, but everyone deserves a treat every now and then, plus Christmas is coming up, so you can always use up the rest for an extra touch of luxury over the festivities.
Prep 15 min
Chill 30 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 6
For the truffle butter
250g butter
60g truffle paste (any brand from the supermarket will do), or 50ml truffle oil
1 shallot, peeled and very finely diced (20g net)
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely diced
2 tbsp finely chopped chives
For the chicken
6 chicken breasts
125g plain flour
2-3 large eggs, beaten
150g panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp olive oil
Put all the ingredients for the butter in a blender and blitz smooth. Put the butter mix in a piping bag and cut a small hole at the base.
Put the chicken breasts on a chopping board, then, using a small, sharp knife, cut a pocket into each breast from the fat end down and cutting about halfway into each breast. Pipe the truffle butter into the pocket, taking care not to overfill, then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls, and heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6.
Take the chilled, butter-stuffed chicken breasts out of the fridge and, working one at a time, dip each one first in the flour to coat, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs, making sure they are all well coated.
Put a nonstick frying pan on a medium flame, add the olive oil, then shallow fry the breaded chicken breasts, in batches if need be and turning once, until golden on both sides.
Transfer the chicken to an oven tray and pop into the hot oven for 15 minutes, until cooked through.
Serve at once with creamy mashed potato.
Chicken diane with mixed mushrooms
The classic steak sauce, but with chicken.
Prep 20 min
Brine 1 hr 30 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2
For the chicken
100g sea salt
The peel of 1 lemon, shaved off in wide strips
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled and smashed just to separate and bash open the cloves a little
2 sprigs fresh thyme
5 black peppercorns
1.2kg chicken crown, wishbone removed
For the herb butter stuffing
115g butter
25g mixed soft herbs (ie, tarragon, chives, chervil), roughly chopped
10g smoked salt
10g roast garlic (jarred or homemade), blended to a paste, or roast garlic paste
100g brioche breadcrumbs, or panko breadcrumbs
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon, to taste
For the diane sauce
30g olive oil
120g white onion, peeled and finely diced (100g net)
150g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, button, chestnut, wild), diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
80ml brandy
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp English mustard
150ml good chicken stock, a dark one, ideally
30g creme fraiche
2 tsp finely chopped parsley
First make a brine. Put the salt, lemon strips, garlic, thyme and peppercorns in a large saucepan, add a litre of water and bring to a boil, whisking until all the salt dissolves. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely.
Put the chicken crown in the cooled brine, making sure it’s fully submerged, then set aside to steep for an hour and a half.
Meanwhile, make the herb butter. Put the butter in a large bowl, whisk until white and fluffy, then fold in all the other herb butter ingredients until well combined. Season to taste, then put in a piping bag, ready for stuffing the chicken.
Lift the chicken out of its brine and pat dry all over. Loosen the skin over the breasts and pipe in all the herb butter. If you’re not cooking the crown immediately, cover and put in the fridge.
Take the chicken out of the fridge an hour before cooking, if need be, so it comes back up to room temperature, and heat the oven to 120C (100C fan)/260F/gas ½. Put the chicken on a rack set inside a baking tray, then roast for an hour and 10 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 58C. Remove, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes. Turn up the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9. Once the chicken has rested, return it to the hot oven for eight minutes, until the skin is golden all over and crisp.
While the chicken is roasting, make the sauce. Put the olive oil in a hot pan over a medium heat, add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until soft. Add the diced mushrooms and grated garlic to the pot, and cook for two minutes more. Pour in the brandy, turn up the heat to high and leave to bubble and reduce until the liquid starts to thicken and coat the mushrooms. Stir in all three mustards, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Take off the heat, stir in the creme fraiche and chopped parsley, and keep warm.
To serve, carve the breasts off the crown, put one breast on each plate and spoon the sauce over the top. Again, this is great with creamy mash.
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Lisa Goodwin-Allen is culinary director at the Beaumont, London W1
