Spatchcock, Coconut, Lemon & Quinoa is a easy and so very delicious. Full of zesty herbs, and dressing.
I have been working on a couple of recipes for summer. I love this one so much we are ditching the Turkey this year in favour of these little fellas that cook quickly and work a treat on the BBQ. I always have grand plans at Christmas and then run completely out of time after cooking for everyone else, so I think I’ve come up with an alternative. This dish can be eaten as a warm salad, or if you prefer, cook it the night before and eat it chilled. It’s quick, and I love an Asian inspired crunchy, chilli fuelled platter of goodies. A Spatchcock will be enough for two people if there are lots of other Christmas food, otherwise one per person. Don’t forget to make the extra special coconut dressing to serve with this.
They cook very quickly if butterflied and this is quite easy.
I use a grill like this, but you can cook a lot at a time by transferring them to a baking dish after sauteing them. You can put it on the BBQ with foil over it or the lid of the BBQ down
Spatchcock, Coconut, Lemon & Quinoa..
Ingredients
- 2 whole spatchcocks de-backboned flattened separate the legs by cutting them off and cut the breasts down the middle so you end up with 8 pieces
- 40 ml olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons ginger grated
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 125 ml lemon juice squeezed 1/2 cup
- 250 ml coconut milk 1 cup
- 40 ml palm sugar syrup or maple syrup
- 40 ml fish sauce 2 Tablespoon
- 300 gm Quinoa cooked cold or warm
Salad
- 6 whole snowpeas julienned
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 bunch chives cut matchstick size
- 1/2 whole chilli sliced deseeded
- 100 gm carrot grated or thin sliced
- 1 in small cucumber Lebanese cutribbons
Coconut dressing
- 80 ml coconut milk or cream (4 tablespoons)
- 20 ml fish sauce 1 tablespoon
- 20 ml palm sugar syrup or maple syrup-1 Tablespoon
- 50 ml lemon juice 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- De-bone the Spatchcock by cutting down each side of the backbone and removing it.
- Put the Spatchcocks into a bowl and add the ginger, garlic, oil, fish sauce and lemon juice. Leave to marinate for as long as you have. Even 10 minutes is fine.
- Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the Quinoa (or use pre-cooked Quinoa)
- Meanwhile prepare the salad ingredients. Julienne the snowpeas, and ribbon the cucumber pick the herbs, slice the chilli, grate the carrot and cut the chives. Put these into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat a grill pan on the stove top or on a BBQ. Take the Spatchcock out of the marinade and reserve.
- When the grill/pan is very hot, add the Spatchcock skin side down. Let it brown ( a grill will caramelise the skin) turning over and browning the other side. Turn down the heat and pour in the marinade and the coconut milk. Put a lid on the pan or cover with foil and leave for 15 -20 minutes without letting the liquid burn. (if you are doing this on the BBQ transfer the spatchcocks to a high sided dish that can stay on the grill, covered)
- Put the Quinoa onto a big platter. Sprinkle over the julienned peas, carrot, herbs, cucumber and chilli
- Take the lid off the Spatchcocks and check they are done by putting a cut into one of the legs. If it is not ready then replace the lid and leave on low another few minutes.
- Once done put the pieces on top of the salad. You can use the syrup left in the bottom of the pan and add that too . Serve with sliced chillies and lemons
- Serve the coconut dressing separately
This recipes was made with Spatchcock from Game Farm. Their products are available from all good butchers and selected supermarkets.
Looks great, the coconut dressing would be so versatile in other dishes too. I am still yet to try spatchcock. One day I will find some here in QLD.
The cooking technique is very helpful especially we have limited time to cook but the great part is that you presented so beautifully that I didn’t mind the spatchcock wasn’t whole. It looks beautiful!
Oh my, what a wonderful flavour combination! Just thinking about it makes me go mm… Loving the presentation – all elegance and class (:
I love all of the bright fresh flavors in this meal!
Tania, you always come up with the most gorgeous meals and elegant plating – that looks simply divine.
What a fine gourmet dish! I must try your coconut dressing too.
spatchcock or quail- you’ve got my attention! as for the mouthwatering asian twist (coconut & chilli…yummmm!). This will be my Xmas feast
I’ve never cooked spatchcock before but it looks delicious like this. Great plating again.
Lovely recipe! I can certainly empathize with you about making all of those grand plans for Christmas, and sort of running out of time – or having a very hectic day. This is a wonderful idea!
Ooh great idea for those last minute Christmas dinners or for a Xmas Eve dinner (I remember working until 5pm one Xmas eve and wishing I had something simple to make!).
I was not quite sure as yet about some of my main dishes this Yule: the moment I saw this I knew! The photo is so appetizing, the Asian thematic hugely appeals – so, a trial run this weekend and a few friends will enjoy the week after 🙂 !
How lovely. Im going to do these too. I hope you like them…..let me know
I love spatchcock, and they are so easy to do butterflied on the BBQ, much more convenient than a big full sized chook.
What a delicious looking dish!