Mitey Chicken: Braised Vegemite chicken with penne and a creamy cauliflower-pumpkin sauce

This unique recipe is a great example of how food relief charities must think outside the box and make the most of food they receive to create delicious and nutritious meals for people in need.

The tasty dish was created by St Mary’s House of Welcome Chef Ryan Stewart and Transit Soup Kitchen cook Des Harding during a mystery box cooking challenge with Coles Ambassador, Chef Curtis Stone.

Both St Mary’s House of Welcome and Transit Soup Kitchen provide food relief to people doing it tough, with the support of food from SecondBite.

Mitey Chicken

Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into quarters
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1–2 tbsp Vegemite
• Approx 4 cups of hot water, enough to mostly cover the chicken
• 1 small cauliflower, the leaves washed and roughly sliced and the stems and florets separated and chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cups of peeled and diced pumpkin
• 1 × 400 g can diced tomatoes
• 500 g penne
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.  
2. Spread diced pumpkin out on trays, drizzle with vegetable oil, season with salt and pepper and cook for around 25 minutes until caramelised.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large heavy-based pot. Season the chicken lightly and sear skin-side down until golden brown. Turn and brown the other side.
4. Dissolve the Vegemite in the hot water and pour over the chicken until it is mostly covered. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
5. Remove the cauliflower leaves and set them aside. Chop the stems and florets into small pieces.
6. Cook the cauliflower stems in a saucepan of boiling water until nearly tender, then add the florets and cook until soft. Drain.
7. Blend the cooked cauliflower with the cooked pumpkin until smooth.
8. Pour the cauliflower and pumpkin puree into a saucepan, stir in the canned tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
9. Cook the penne pasta in a saucepan of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving a little pasta water.
10. Heat 1 tbsp of oil or butter in a frying pan and sauté the sliced cauliflower leaves for 3–5 minutes until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Toss the penne with the cauliflower-pumpkin sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to achieve a silky consistency.
12. Serve the braised chicken over the penne with the sautéed cauliflower leaves on the side. Spoon over a little of the braising liquid for extra flavour.