Slow cooking can be so rewarding. Meat that just falls away from the bone is a real FatSteak Club love so the confit process is a winner. Slow cooking in oil has a few advantages: big flavours (such as citrus oils) are held in better; the outcome is perfectly moist flesh (but not oily), and most importantly - provides a useful by-product in the now delicious oil. This recipe, inspired by Rachel Roddy’s, makes use of the confit oil to roast potatoes to perfection.
 

Step 1 - prepare the chicken (the day before)

• Massage seasoning into the legs and leave in a sealed pot in the fridge overnight.

• 1 hour before starting, bring the chicken out of the fridge to rise to room temperature.

Step 2 - confit!

• Preheat the oven to 180 C.

• In the base of an oven dish that the legs fit tightly into, add a handful of thyme and sage.

• Peel the zest from the orange and lemons using a potato peeler and add.

• Peel the whole garlic bulb and add the cloves.

• Chop the ginger stem into small slices and add.

• Arrange the legs on top of these flavour ingredients, skin side up.

• Cover with enough oil to just leave the very top of the skins exposed.

• Put the pot in the oven (uncovered) for 20 min then turn down to 140 C and leave for 3 hours.

Step 3 - prepare the potatoes

• Whilst the chicken cooks, peel the potatoes and chop into even-sized lumps, preferably with edges.

• Top tip: Boil these in a large pan of water which includes some of the peelings as these will add to the spud flavour.

• When the potatoes are soft (easily pierced with a knife), remove from the heat and drain.

• Pick out the peelings and after the potatoes have cooled slightly rough the edges by swirling in the colander.

• Leave the potatoes to cool completely.

Step 4 - Finish the dish

• The chicken should stand in the oil for 1 hour after being removed from the oven. After this time, lift the pieces out and keep warm in a dish.

• During this time return the oil (in a tray) to a hot oven (180 - 200 C) for 10 minutes then add the potatoes.

• The roasties should be ready after about 45 -60 min.

• Serve all together with some green vegetables.

 Ingredients

• 4 full chicken legs (skin on)

• Salt and pepper

• Sprigs thyme

• Fresh sage leaves

• 1 orange

• 4 lemons (unwaxed)

• 1 bulb garlic

• Small stem of fresh ginger (~5 cm)

• 750 - 1000 ml of virgin olive oil

• 500g waxy potatoes