Basque Chicken

This warming recipe is a great stew to bring summery flavours to the cold days.
Serves 2

Ingredients
5 chicken thighs
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 onion
1 clove garlic
1 tin peeled tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
150 g wild rice
pinch cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
100 ml white wine

Method
1
Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper and the cayenne pepper. Heat a heavy-based pot over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil and fry the chicken until golden on both sides. Bring a small pot with salted water to the boil for the rice.
2
Slice the peppers into strips, finely chop the garlic and thinly slice the onion. Dissolve half the stock cube in 200 ml hot water. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and set aside. Add all the vegetables, except for the garlic, to the pot and fry for 10 minutes, adding the garlic at the end. Add the tinned tomatoes, bring to the boil and reduce by a quarter.
3
Add 100 ml white wine and reduce slightly. Return the chicken to the pan with the stock and cook gently for about 30 minutes. Add the rice to the pot of boiling water and cook gently for about 35 minutes until tender. Drain the rice through a sieve.
4
Season the stew with salt and pepper. Finely chop the parsley and stir through. Divide the rice between 2 plates. Lay the chicken thighs on top and spoon over the pepper sauce.


Chana Masala

Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
5 cm piece ginger, peeled and roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic, roughly sliced
1 green chili pepper, roughly sliced
4 teaspoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons oil
3-4 cans organic chickpeas
2 tablespoons passata
salt

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan and fry the onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper for 6-7 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. Put the mixture in a blender with 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas and the passata. Add 180-200 ml of water and blend into a smooth paste.

Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan over medium heat and add the fenugreek, five spice powder, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Cook for 30-40 seconds.

Add the chickpea paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, garam masala and cumin, along with 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander and salt to taste.

Stir in the rest of the chickpeas, add 100 ml of water, put the lid on the pan and let simmer for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the creme fraiche and the rest of the coriander and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and creamy.

Sprinkle with a little coriander and garam masala and serve swirled with a little extra creme fraiche.


Indian pea soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic clove
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chilli
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
1 shallot finely chopped
200 g peas
400 ml vegetable stock
1 bunch coriander (leaves only)
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
3 tablespoons sunflower oil

Method

Heat the sunflower oil and add the cumin seeds. When they start popping, add the finely chopped ​​garlic, green chilli, ginger and shallot and gently fry for about 2 minutes (do not let it colour).

Add the peas and fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and cream to the peas, bring to the boil. After a couple of minutes, add the coriander, garam masala and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat. Blend the soup in a blender until smooth.

For the "Indian Caviar"

Heat the sunflower oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop, lower the heat and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.