Ingredients

• 225g/8oz unsalted butter
• softened
• 1 garlic bulb
• cloves peeled and crushed
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley leaves
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• wing bone left in (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• 75g/2¾oz plain flour
• 3 free-range eggs
• lightly beaten
• 90g/3¼oz Japanese panko breadcrumbs
• 125g/4½oz runner beans
• trimmed
• cut into 4cm/1½in pieces
• 125g/4½oz fresh or frozen peas
• 4 spring onions
• trimmed
• white part roughly chopped
• 125g/4½oz broad beans
• double podded
• 6 blanched garlic scapes (the long stalks from fresh garlic)
• cut into 4cm/1½in pieces (optional)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• In a bowl
• mix together 175g/6oz of the butter
• all but one clove of garlic and half of the parsley. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place a sheet of cling film on a clean work surface. Spoon the garlic butter onto the cling film
• then pull the edge of the cling film on top of the butter and mould the butter into a log shape. Twist the ends of the cling film to seal and chill in the fridge for at least an hour
• or until needed.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 160C. Alternatively
• heat the oil in a deep
• heavy-based saucepan until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (Caution: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• While the oil is heating
• carefully cut a deep pocket in each of the chicken breasts
• inserting the knife into the bone end
• just under the bone.
• Remove the cling film from the chilled garlic butter and slice it into 1cm/½in slices. Stuff each chicken breast with a few slices of garlic butter
• pushing them into the chicken as far as possible.
• Sprinkle the flour onto a plate. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Scatter the breadcrumbs onto another plate. Dust each chicken breast first in the flour
• then dip into the beaten egg
• then roll in the breadcrumbs until completely coated.
• Carefully lower the chicken Kievs into the hot oil
• two at a time
• and fry for 8-10 minutes
• or until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown and the chicken is cooked through. (To check that the chicken is cooked through
• remove one breast from the oil using a slotted spoon and pierce in the thickest part with a skewer; the juices should run clear. Take care not to pierce the chicken too deeply in case the melted butter escapes!) Set the chicken Kievs aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining two chicken Kievs.
• Meanwhile
• place the runner beans
• peas
• spring onions
• broad beans
• the remaining clove of garlic and 25g/1oz of the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Cover with 275ml/½ pint water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat until the water is simmering
• then simmer for 3-4 minutes
• or until the vegetables are tender. Drain well and return the vegetables to the pan.
• Add the remaining 25g/1oz of butter
• the remaining parsley and the garlic scapes
• if using
• to the pan and heat through until the butter has melted. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• spoon the spring vegetables into the centre of four serving plates. Top each portion with a chicken Kiev.