Pressed chicken with black olives, baby beetroot and pomegranates

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 1.6kg chicken
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 baby beetroot
  • 1 cup black olives, very finely diced
  • 1 pomegranate, seeded
  • finely-grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 bunch thyme leaves
  • charred red cabbage leaves, to serve

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Use a pair of sharp scissors to remove the chicken backbone, then season generously with salt and pepper. Rub with lemon infused olive oil, then place skin side down on a ribbed griddle set over a moderate heat and cook for 10 minutes. Invert, place a 5kg weight on top, then cook for 20 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, wrap the beetroot in foil, place in a roasting pan, then bake for 45 minutes. Peel carefully. Mix the olives, pomegranate, zest and thyme.
3 Arrange red cabbage and beetroot on a platter, top with chicken and drizzle with lemon juice. Scatter with the pomegranate mixture.