Cook: 30-40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Who’d have thought that something so exotic sounding could be knocked up in under 40 minutes and requires little more effort than slicing an onion?! Not only that, it is delicious and every bit as decadent as it sounds. A speedy, easy dinner that is interesting and elegant enough to serve discerning guests.
one. Start by preparing the onions: peel them and slice them into thin rings
two. Put the water, saffron and chicken in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and allow them to poach for 10-15 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
three. Meanwhile, gently fry the onions in the oil, over a low heat until soft and translucent (about ten minutes), stirring occasionally to avoid sticking and browning. Use a deep earthenware/ casserole dish for this;
four. Add the paprika to the onions, stir and cook for a further two minutes.
five. Turn up the heat to medium, add the wine to the pan and let it bubble for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it.
six. Drain the chicken, retaining the liquid;
seven. Add the chicken pieces, together with the prunes, to the onion mixture in the casserole dish. Season with a generous grind of salt and pepper (to taste). Give everything a good stir, and add about 700 ml of the poaching liquid. Bring to the boil.
eight. Reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through.
nine. When the chicken is cooked, check the pan with the chicken and, if it is very watery, remove the chicken, prunes and onions with a slotted spoon and keep warm while you reduce down the sauce, so you have a small amount to spoon over each portion.
Serving Suggestion. Rice (Brown, White or Wild) and Asparagus would be welcome accompaniments.
Possible Amendment.
