What happens with you give a Iron Chef winner a chicken and a home soda machine? If the chef is Susur Lee, the results will be both unusual and utterly delicious. I recently met Lee at his namesake restaurant in Toronto, where he showcased dishes he created for use with counter top soda makers. The Toronto-based chef currently has two restaurants here in Toronto, including Bent which he runs with his sons Kai and Levi. Lee shared his recipe for soda-marinated chicken. He says that the ginger, coffee and soda work together to tenderize the chicken, and the carbonation keeps the glaze from smothering the dish. This dish is a melange of dark coffee, fragrant spices and zesty orange flavours, but it's no instant-gratification dinner. You'll need plenty of time to create the coffee reduction, and another 48 hours to marinate it but, we promise, it's totally worth the wait. The recipe also calls for Ice Syrup, a non-alcoholic syrup from the Niagara Peninsula produced from grapes that have been through a cycle of freezing, thawing and dehydrating while hanging on the vine. The result is a thick, sweet syrup with a rich, fruity flavour and a nice acidity that takes the edge off the sweetness. Lee sells his own brand of syrup. Look for it in gourmet stores, or find the PC Black Label version. Susur Lee's Roasted Chicken Marinated with Spiced Coffee & Orange Tonic 50 g fresh ginger 60 g cinnamon sticks 125 g ground coffee 9 g cardamom pods 5 bay leaves 4 L water 4 tbsp salt 1 bottle of Susur's Ice Syrup 80 ml SodaStream orange syrup Salt and freshly ground black pepper To create brine, combine ginger, cinnamon sticks, ground coffee, cardamom pods, bay leaves, 2-1⁄2 litres of water and salt in a large pot and reduce on high heat to 1 cup (250 mL). Remove from stove and let cool to room temperature. Fill SodaStream bottle to the line; snap lock into machine and select highest fizz level. Once complete, release and slowly add 40 ml (4 caps full) of SodaStream orange syrup. Seal cap and gently roll the bottle on its side until well mixed. Repeat, adding remaining 40 mL of syrup and gently mixing. Add 1-1⁄2 L of orange sparkling drink to brine, along with Susur’s ice syrup. Cut 1 whole 3-lb chicken in half and brine in mixture for 48 hours in the fridge. Remove chicken from brine and place in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in 375F oven for approximately 30 minutes or internal temperature reaches 165F with a meat thermometer. Serve with your favourite side dishes or Chef Lee’s suggested sides: Roasted Jerusalem artichoke with balsamic soya honey glaze and sweet onions. If you've got a home soda machine, make sure to check out these sophisticated cocktail recipes from BarChef's Frankie Solarik.