Spatchcocked Poussin with Soba Noodles, Edamame and Chilli

The plan this evening was to chill at home and for some reasons I really fancy a bottle of rosé. I went to the shop, chose a bottle of nice wine and then I was stopped at the check-out for ID. I haven't been asked for ID in quite a while, so it was rather flattering... until I realised I didn't have any ID with me. I showed the lady my rail card which has my date of birth on it, but it's not acceptable as a form of ID (I knew that, but worth a try I thought). I told her I left my driving license at home and I am clearly over 18, but she's not convinced (I am blaming this anti-ageing cream my friend gave me). She told me that I could be working for the police to test their system. I didn't know what to say after that.

So, no rosé today... oh well... I got home and started cooking this lovely springtime spatchcocked poussin with soba noodles, edamame and chilli. I promised Stephen aka the obsessive chef to brine a chicken after Easter and I did. The poussin or Cornish hen was brined in a fragrant liquid made by mixing water with soy sauce, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic, onion and sugar for about a day or so, keeping it in the fridge the whole time. The (strange) thing about brining I found is you don't suddenly get an overly flavoured meat, but brining somehow gives a roundness of flavours and prevents the meat from drying out.

I got the baby chicken out of its bath, gave it a rinse, pat it dry and it's ready to be spatchcocked: opening the chicken through its back and flattening it out so it cooks quickly. I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon zest and olive oil before grilling on a griddle pan to get a nice charred colour and then finish cooking the poussin in the oven.

With the grilled and roasted poussin, I want something light and though soba noodles may not be the first thing that came to mind and obvious pairing, it was utterly delicious. I quite like the contrast of the hot chicken with cold noodles. The Asian-inspired dressing for the noodles is made from soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, chopped fresh coriander leaves and finely chopped red chilli for some heat. I also added some cooked edamame beans for crunch, sweetness and colour. This is so good, I plan to make this again for lunch tomorrow.

Anyway, with the meal I thought I crack open a bottle of white, then I found an unopened case of wine I received sometime ago from naked wines. I opened the box, and guess what I found... 3 bottles of red, 2 of white and 1 (drum roll please...) rosé. Amazing! It's a Castillo de Tafalla Rosado 2010 by the Spanish winemaker Benoit Dreyer. I'm not a connoisseur but this wine is sweet and fruity with a slight fizz... and it bounces like a fluffy spring lamb on bright green grass (words I found on the website and I like it)...

Back to the rest of the wine.

Have a great weekend!