Into the WILD

Dining goes bush as we hero the ingredients that are reshaping advanced Australian fare.

- DOMINIC SMITH

Salt-baked chicken in pepperberry and wild fennel

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 134 HRS (PLUS RESTING)

We love a bit of dinner theatre and this recipe puts on a show. The copious amounts of salt trap moisture as the chicken cooks. For the big reveal, crack open the crust to a plume of pepperberry-scented steam that trails all the way to the table. 

1 Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. For marinade, place oil, herbs, garlic, pepper berry and zest in a food processor and process until finely chopped and combined. Brush marinade over chicken, and inside cavity. Stuff chicken cavity with lemon halves and tie legs together with kitchen string.

2 For salt crust, combine ingredients in a large bowl until mixed to the consistency of wet sand.

3 Line an oven tray with baking paper, then press an approximately 2cm-thick layer of salt, slightly larger than the chicken. Place chicken on top, then pack remaining salt over and around chicken to completely encase it. Bake for 134 hours. Remove chicken from oven and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.

4 To serve, crack the salt crust, using a meat mallet or pestle. Using a towel or oven mitts, break away remaining salt, brushing off any broken salt. Transfer chicken to a platter and drizzle with extra lemon-infused olive oil and top with fresh pepper-berry leaves and wild fennel flowers.

Note: Wild fennel and fresh pepper berry leaves are available from specialty green grocers. If unavailable, substitute baby fennel with fronds.

Blood lime and chilli mud crab

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 30 MINS