• Rillettes are traditionally made from duck legs but they are just as delicious with chicken – and much more affordable. Chicken rillettes are rather similar to pâté, cooked in fat until they’re deliciously tender and juicy. This is a delicious accompaniment to bread or crackers. 

    Chicken rillettes

    Serves: 750ml
    Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins

    Ingredients

    • 500g pork belly, rind removed, cut into small pieces
    • 4 chicken thighs with legs, halved
    • 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
    • 100ml water
    • 1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped
    • 2,5ml (½ tsp) allspice
    • a pinch of nutmeg
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 2 sprigs of thyme
    • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 40g (4 tbsp) butter
    • 30ml (2 tbsp) brown sugar, to serve
    • 4 plums, halved, to serve
    • Melba toast, to serve
    • microgreens, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Place the pork belly and chicken in a large saucepan. Add the wine, water, garlic, allspice, nutmeg, bay leaves, thyme and seasoning. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

    2

    Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Carefully remove the bones and tear the meat into smaller pieces using two forks. Reserve the cooking juices.

    3

    Spoon the cooled meat into two sterilised jars and pour in the leftover cooking juices. Melt 20g (2 tbsp) of butter and pour a thin layer over the rillettes. Set aside to cool and store in a cool place.

    4

    Melt the remaining butter and the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Place the plum halves, cut-side down, in the butter and sugar mixture. Cook until the sugar starts to caramelise, about 4 – 5 minutes.

    5

    Serve the rillettes with caramelised plums, Melba toast and microgreens.