Serves 2
Prep time 3 hours
Ingredients for confit garlic
Bresc Garlic, 3 teaspoons
Sunflower oil, 500g
Fresh thyme, 1 sprig
Ingredients for the Aioli
Room temperature milk, 100ml
Bresc garlic cloves, 3 teaspoons
Pre-prepared garlic oil, 200ml
Salt, to taste
White vinegar, to taste
Ingredients For the yeasted flatbread
White flour, 200g
Warm water (40°), 115g
Salt, 1 tsp
Active dry yeast, ½ tsp
White sugar, ½ tsp
Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Ingredients for brick chicken
Free range chicken legs, 2, deboned
Sunflower oil or chicken fat, 1 tbsp
Ingredients Chicken Chicharron
Chicken skin, 200g, chopped into 4cm pieces
Ingredients for the Fennel Slaw
Fennel bulb, 1
Kohlrabi (Gidra), 1, peeled
Lemon, juice of one
Honey, 1 tsp
Capers, 1 tbsp
Olive oil, as needed
Pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Method
Start off by making the confit garlic. This is a larger batch and can be used for other recipes to add a wonderfully sweet depth to dishes.
In a small cast iron pot, add 5 bulbs of cleaned, peeled garlic cloves and 500ml of sunflower oil. Ensure the garlic is submerged in the oil.
Set the burner to the very lowest flame possible and leave covered for 1hr. Alternatively, place in an oven proof container and roast at 140 C for 2hrs.
Once the garlic is very soft, remove from the fire and leave to cool. Strain the mixture making sure to save both the oil and the garlic.
Whilst the garlic is slowly cooking get started on the yeasted flatbread dough. Prepare a basket or bowl by placing a tea towel inside, large enough to place and cover your flatbreads.
Add the flour and salt to a large bowl. In another smaller bowl mix a tsp of dry yeast, warm water and a pinch of sugar. Allow to activate for 10 minutes.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Transfer to a work surface to knead it for a few minutes. Once you have achieved a smoother texture, place it back into your large bowl with some oil to prevent it from sticking.
Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size or in the fridge for up to a week.
As the dough rises, you can start preparing the fennel slaw, chicken chicharron, aioli and chicken.
For the aioli add the milk and confit garlic cloves to a high sided cylindrical container or measuring jug. Blitz with an immersion/stick blender until smooth.
Add all the oil to the container and leave to settle on top of the milk.
With the blender fully submerged in the liquid and in contact with the bottom of the container, slowly start to incorporate together until a thick Aioli has formed.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and white vinegar. Transfer to squeezy bottle and place in the fridge.
For the fennel slaw, drain the capers and chop into a coarse paste. Get a small bowl to make your dressing and add some olive oil, honey, chopped capers, salt and pepper and whisk until homogeneous.
Slice the fennel and kohlrabi as thin as possible using a mandolin if you have one and then slice into thin strips. Reserve the fennel fronds as a garnish.
In a large bowl add the fennel, kohlrabi and the lemon juice. Toss together and leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and mix in the dressing.
To make the chicharron place the skin into a small non-stick pan and set to low, cover and leave for 2 minutes. Once some of the fat has rendered, uncover, and stir.
Increase the heat to medium-high and let the skin fry in its own fat until crispy. When ready strain out the excess oil and transfer skins to a paper towel. Roughly crush before serving.
Debone the chicken legs according to the steps in the ‘Perfecting Of’ in this issue and season with salt. Once done, preheat your skillet, preferably cast iron, on medium low for a few minutes.
Add a tablespoon of neutral oil and heat for about a minute. Place deboned chicken thigh skin side down into the pan. Place a weight onto the chicken, such as a heavy pot or another skillet, to ensure the skin is in full contact with the pan.
Cook on a high heat for one minute and then turn to a low heat for another 10 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Flip the chicken, turn off the heat and leave till rest in the pan. Slice the chicken into 1cm strips and reserve.
As the chicken cooks finish off the flatbreads. Remove the dough from the bowl and place onto a floured work surface. Punch down and cut into equal portions. Roll out the dough balls into thin disks being generous with the flour to prevent sticking.
You are aiming for the same size as the cast iron skillet you’ll be grilling them in. Prepare your skillet by heating it over a low flame until very hot.
Add a touch of oil and swirl it around the pan. Add the rolled-out disk and fry for about 2 minutes per side. Visual cues are important at this stage, you want good colour and bubbles to form.
Once ready, place them in the prepared basket and cover with the tea towel. Allow to steam. This will ensure they remain soft and easy to roll around your fillings.
To construct the taco grab a taco add some fennel slaw, place a few strips of chicken, squeeze on some of your prepared Aioli and garnish with reserved fennel fronds and chicharron.
