Roast Poussin with Lemon, Orange & Garlic

preparation 20 minutes
cook time 55 minutes
Serves 4

We're always looking for ways to jazz up our Sunday roast. We love this take from chef Uyen Luu, who uses Vietnamese flavours to update this British classic. It's a colourful, zesty dish perfect for summer dinner parties.

Recipe taken from Vietnamese by Uyen Luu (Hardie Grant, £22). Photography: Uyen Luu

Ingredients Method

250ml freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 x 500g poussins
2 lemongrass stalks, bashed with a rolling pin
3 lime leaves, whole (optional)
½ garlic bulb, peeled and crushed
40g ginger root, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ garlic bulb, unpeeled, left whole, sliced in half
2 red onions, unpeeled, quartered
1 lemon, zested and sliced into rings
1 orange, zested and sliced into rings
4 star anise
1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water
For the garnish
2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced (optional)
1 spring onion , chopped

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 7. In a small bowl, mix together the orange juice, coconut or maple syrup and fish sauce. Set aside. In a roasting tin big enough for the poussins, place the bashed lemongrass, lime leaves (if using), the flattened garlic cloves and ginger slices.

Spatchcock the poussins by placing them one at a time breast-side down on a chopping board, with the legs towards you. Using a good pair of kitchen scissors, cut up along each side of the backbone to remove it. Open the poussin out and turn over. With the heel of your hand, flatten the bird and spread out onto a high-sided baking tray that fits both birds snuggly.

Repeat with the other poussin. Save the backbone to make stock or add it to the roast for extra gravy flavour. Rub the poussins with vegetable oil and salt around all the grooves of the birds, along the insides of the thighs and wings. Wash your hands, then season the birds with black pepper. Place them on top of the lemongrass, garlic and ginger on the tray.

Around the tray scatter the whole halved garlic bulb, onions, lemon and orange pieces. Pour over the sauce mixture, rubbing it into the skin of the poussin, then place the star anise on the poussin.

Roast the poussin for 45–55 minutes or more until the juices run clear when pierced with a skewer, basting every 15 minutes. Rest the poussins for 10 minutes, then pour the juices into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the cornflour mixture and whisk it in to avoid any lumps in the gravy, stirring well to thicken.

Garnish with chillies, citrus zest and spring onion. Serve with chips or steamed rice and plenty of vegetable sides.

Ingredients

250ml freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 x 500g poussins

2 lemongrass stalks, bashed with a rolling pin

3 lime leaves, whole (optional)

½ garlic bulb, peeled and crushed

40g ginger root, sliced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ garlic bulb, unpeeled, left whole, sliced in half

2 red onions, unpeeled, quartered

1 lemon, zested and sliced into rings

1 orange, zested and sliced into rings

4 star anise

1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

For the garnish

2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced (optional)

1 spring onion , chopped

Method

Around the tray scatter the whole halved garlic bulb, onions, lemon and orange pieces. Pour over the sauce mixture, rubbing it into the skin of the poussin, then place the star anise on the poussin.

Garnish with chillies, citrus zest and spring onion. Serve with chips or steamed rice and plenty of vegetable sides.