Chicken and Charred Little Gem

Classic flavour combinations of pea, mint and salty pancetta come together in this warming dish, ideal for an autumnal evening

1. To make the pea and mint sauce, place the butter and sliced spring onions in the base of a solid steam container. Steam in the Miele steam oven at 100°C for 3 minutes. Add in the petit pois, mint leaves and 250ml hot chicken stock.

2. Return to the steam oven and steam at 100°C for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the steam oven and lift out a spoonful of the peas. Set them aside. Using a hand blender, blitz the ingredients to a smooth, thick sauce. Add a little of the reserved chicken stock, if necessary, to give a thick pouring consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then set aside.

3. For the white wine jus, melt the butter and the oil in a saucepan and fry off the shallot, carrot and celery over quite a high heat for 4 – 5 minutes. Add in the crushed garlic clove, sprig of thyme and the bay leaves. Pour in the white wine and brandy. Continue to simmer vigorously until the liquid has reduced to a quarter of the original volume. Add the chicken stock in three or four batches, reducing down the volume each time to intensify the flavour. On the final lot, continue to simmer until the sauce is rich and syrupy in consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. For the chicken suprèmes, preheat the Miele steam combination oven on Fan plus 210°C. Trim the suprèmes if necessary, and place on the Universal tray, brush with the melted butter and season with a little salt and black pepper.

5. Place in the preheated steam combination oven and select Combination mode with two stages, Stage 1 - Fan plus 210°C, 20% moisture, 10 minutes Stage 2 – Fan plus 190°C, 100% moisture, 20 minutes

6. While the chicken is roasting, heat a small frying pan on the hob and fry off the cubed pancetta until crispy.

7. Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside to relax for a few minutes. Add any of the roasting juices to the chicken jus.

8. To complete the dish, char the little Gem lettuce by melting the butter in a frying pan and place the lettuce halves, cut side down in the pan. Initially, cook over a high heat for a couple of minutes to char the cut surface, then reduce the heat and continue to cook the lettuce for a further 3 – 4 minutes until just tender. Reheat the pea and mint sauce and the white wine jus.

9. To serve, slice each of the chicken suprèmes into three pieces and arrange in the centre of a warmed plate. Balance half a little Gem against the chicken and pour over a spoonful of the white wine jus. Drizzle the pea and mint sauce around the chicken and garnish with the reserved peas and the cubes of pancetta. Drizzle around a little of the white wine jus and finally garnish with micro herb sorrel. Serve immediately.

Food Tip: Sweetheart cabbage, cooked in the same method as the little gem is equally delicious.

Appliance Tip: As an alternative to the Steam Combination oven, the chicken Supremes can be steamed for 10-12 minutes on 100°C, then pan fried to give some colour.