Brined Cockerel with Vin Jaune by Stephen Nairn

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Serves

4

Prep

90 minutes

Cooking

90 minutes

Take your cooking to the next level with this masterclass from the exceptional Chef Stephen Nairn. Discover how to craft his refined take on Brined Cockerel with Vin Jaune – a dish that captures the essence of European rustic elegance with modern technique. From a vibrant citrus and herb brine to a velvety sauce enriched with Vin Jaune, pancetta, wild mushrooms, and cream, each stage of this recipe builds complexity and depth. Scottish-born Chef Stephen Nairn brings a world of experience to the table, having worked in some of the world’s most acclaimed kitchens, including the three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York, and Melbourne’s Vue de monde and Estelle. Now Culinary Director at LK Hospitality, he leads the culinary vision for hat-awarded and award-winning venues such as Omnia Bistro & Bar and Yūgen Dining. In this masterclass, he shares his precision, technique, and respect for premium produce—spotlighting Aurum Poultry Co.’s 100 days slow grown cockerel.

Ingredients

Brine for cockerel
• 2500ml water
• 100g salt
• 10g black peppercorn
• 10g coriander seed
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch lemon thyme
• 1 lemon peel

Cockerel
• 1 x Fook Wong Chicken – Cockerel (whole)
• 100g rendered duck fat / cockerel fat
• 200g pancetta (cut into 4 cubes)
• 3 shallot (sliced lengthways)
• 5 garlic cloves (smashed)
• 100g carrot (diced)
• 100g celery (diced)
• 200g button mushrooms
• 20g dried mushrooms (morels or porcini – soaked in warm water)
• 1 x star anise
• 35g coriander seed
• 4g white pepper seed
• 10g cumin seed
• 500ml vin juane
• 100ml dry sherry
• 100ml sherry vinegar
• 1500 ml Cockerel Double Stock (or 1000ml white chicken stock & 500ml brown chicken stock)
• 1 small bunch Tarragon, lemon thyme, rosemary for cooking
• Chopped tarragon and thyme for sauce
• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g cream
• Vegetable oil (for cooking)

Method

Step 1: Brine the Cockerel
1. Bring all the ingredients to the boil, dissolve salt and cool down.
2. Once cold, reserve for cockerel.
3. Use once and discard.

Step 2: Prepare the Cockerel
1. Joint the cockerel into 8 pieces. (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings). Reserve any trims for stock.
2. Brine for 12 hours.
3. After 12 hours, remove from brine, pat dry and reserve.
4. Heat a medium-sized rondeau.
5. Add the cockerel/duck fat and bring to a medium heat.
6. Brown all parts of the cockerel then reserve until later.
7. Into the same pan, brown the pancetta, then remove and reserve.
8. Add mushrooms to the pot and brown them until they have a deep colour.
9. Add the reserved pancetta back into the pot.
10. Add the sliced shallots, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pan.
11. Stir in all the spices, tarragon, lemon thyme, rosemary and sweat them down
12. Deglaze with sherry vinegar, then both the alcohol and reduce by one-half.
13. Add the stocks and bring to the boil.
14. Skim and taste, then simmer for 35 minutes.
15. Once strong depth of flavour and stock is reduced by one-half.
16. Add the cockerel. Add the wings, thighs and drumsticks first. Cook at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, then add the cockerel breast and poach gently for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Finishing the Dish
1. Remove the pot from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the cooked cockerel pieces and keep them warm.
3. Bring the cooking liquor back up to the heat. Pass it through a conical strainer, pressing all the ingredients to ensure the sauce is course with the pulp of vegetables.
4. Once the sauce has reduced, add butter and cream to taste. The sauce should coat the back of the spoon. Add the cockerel back in and glaze. Make sure cockerel is cooked and place on serving platter, sauce over the top and finish with fresh herbs.
5. Return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes in 200 degrees.
6. Serve with roasted potatoes and mushrooms.

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