Crispychickenandrice
SERVES4 // PREPTIME 20 MINS// COOK2 HOURS 20 MINS(PLUSCHILLING)“Thisis a techniqueI learntatFatCarrotFarmandis onheavy
rotationforourstaffmeals,”saysBiancaJohnston.“Thisrecipefits
inwithwhatweareaboutatTomMcHugo’s,makingthemostof
whatyouhave.It cameoutoftheneedtousemeatoffthecarcasses
in a stock, but can also be made by poaching chicken wings.”2 kgchickenwings
1 redonion,finelysliced,
trimmingsreserved
½ cupfinelychopped
corianderstalksandleaves,
plusextraleavestoserve
400 gm(2cups)medium-or
long-grainrice,rinsedin
coldrunningwater
70 gmdesiccatedcoconut
6 garliccloves,sliced
1 bunchgaichoyormustard
leaves,roughlychopped
150 gmwombok,shredded
30 mlfishsauce
60 ml(1/4cup)lemonjuice,
plusextrawedgestoserve
Chillioilandtoasted
desiccated coconut, to serve1 Preheatovento200°C.Place
chickenwingsina singlelayer
ina flameproofovenproofdish.
Roastuntilgolden(45minutes).
2 Transferwingstoa large
stockpotanddeglazereserved
ovendishovermediumheat
withenoughwatertocover
base.Continuecooking,
scrapingandstirringtorelease
anybitsstucktothebase
(3-4minutes).Transfermixture
tostockpot.Add4 litrescold
waterwithcorianderand
reservedoniontrimmings.Bring
toa simmerovermediumheat,
thenreduceheattolowand
simmeruntilwingsaresoft,but
notcompletelyfallingapartand
stockis wellflavoured(1 hour).
3 Strainstockovera largebowl,
thentransfertoa jugandplace
in the freezer until fat solidifies.4 Meanwhile,whenwingsare
coolenoughtohandle,remove
meat(discardingbones).You
shouldhave600-700gmmeat.
5 Removesolidifiedfatfrom
stockandreserve.Heat500ml
stockina saucepanover
mediumheatandaddrice
(reserveremainingstock
foranotheruse,seenote).
Seasonwith1 tspsaltflakes.
Bringtotheboil,thenreduce
heattolow,coverwitha lid
andcookuntilliquidis
absorbed(12-14minutes).Set
aside,covered,untilneeded.
6 Heatreservedchickenfat
(adda littleoil,if necessary)in
a largeheavy-basedfryingpan
overmedium-highheatand
cookchickenmeat,stirring
occasionally,untilcrispand
golden(15minutes).Add
coconutandcook,stirring,
untilgolden,addinga ladleof
extrastockif over-browning
(1 minute).Stiringarlicand
cookuntilfragrant(3minutes).
7 Addonion,coriander,
mustardgreensandwombok,
andcookuntillightlywilted
butstillretainingsometexture
(1 minute).Seasonwithfish
sauceand1 tspsaltflakes.
Removefromheatandstirin
lemonjuice.Servewithrice,
toppedwithchillioil,toasted
coconutandextracoriander.
NoteLeftoverchickenstock
canberefrigeratedinanairtight
containerforupto3 daysor
frozen for up to 3 months.Communityis attheheartofBianca
Johnston’scooking,asis practising
cleverwaste-minimisationtechniques.
“I alwayswanttocookhonestfoodwith
peak-seasoningredients,”shesays.
Cookingwasn’tinitiallyon
Johnston’sradar,butanappearanceon
MyKitchenRulesasa teenagersparked
a new-foundappreciationforfood.
“Cookingdidn’tcomesupernaturally
tome.I guessthat’swhyit tookme
a longtimetoblossom,”saysthe 2019
AppetiteforExcellenceYoungChef
winner,“buthardworkgetsyouthere.”
The27-year-oldfirstdevelopedthat
workethicasanapprenticeatthe
now-shutteredSmoltKitcheninHobart,
beforeshehitthestovesatTom
McHugo’s,a revitalisedgastropubin
Hobart’scitycentre.It’stherethatshe
hasreallyhonedtheideaofwhat kind
ofcookshewantstobe.
“TomandhispartnerWhitney’s
stanceonhospitalityis soinfectious.
Theyaimtomakesustainablefood
accessibletoeverybody,”says
Johnston.“Theyarereallyfocusedon
creatinga community.Theytrulyliveit.”
ForJohnston,thisincludesspending
weekendsworkingatFatCarrotFarm,
oneofthepub’svegetablesuppliers.
“I wenttostartlearningaboutfarming
practicesbecauseI wanttobeinformed
aboutwhatI’mcookingwith,”shesays.
Workingcloselywithproducersand
developinga senseofcommunityhas
alsohada significantinfluenceonher
cooking.“Theyarefriends;it’snotjust
a workrelationship.Atleastoncea year
wehavea communitydaywherethe
pubis closedandproducers,beer
makersandwinemakersallcome
together.Thepeopleyou’rehanging
outwitharethepeoplethathavean
inputintowhatyou’redoingevery
day,soit doesfeellikeyou’rereally
feeding the community.”➤BiancaJohnston
Sous-chefat
Tom McHugo’s, Hobart86 GOURMET TRAVELLER
WORDS JORDAN KRETCHMER.