Jose Pizarro: Chicken stewed in cider and apples recipe
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Serves 6
Ingredients
*Olive oil
*1 free-range chicken
*Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
*1 apple, peeled, cored and halved
*2 onions, finely sliced
*2 bay leaves
*6 sage leaves
*1 cinnamon stick
*500ml cider
*400ml fresh chicken stock
*25g unsalted butter
*3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 8 pieces
*1 teaspoon caster sugar
*75g sultanas
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F/Gas 3).
2. Heat a layer of oil in a large casserole dish. Season the chicken inside and out and brown all over in the casserole dish. Set aside and put the halved apple inside the cavity.
3. Add the onions to the casserole and fry for 10 minutes to soften.
4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the herbs and cinnamon.
5. Pour in the cider and bubble for a few minutes, then add the stock.
6. Bring to the boil, then cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.
7. Meanwhile, heat a little oil and the butter and fry the rest of the apples with the sugar until golden and caramelised. Add the sultanas and toss in the buttery juices. Add to the casserole about halfway through the cooking time.
8. Remove the lid of the casserole and turn up the oven to 220°C (430°F/Gas 7). Cook for 10 minutes more to brown the top of the chicken, then serve.
More recipes from Basque: Spanish recipes from San Sebastian and beyond:
BASQUE: Spanish Recipes from San Sebastián and beyond by José Pizarro (Hardie Grant, £25.00) Photography: Laura Edwards