An easy to prepare all in one meal – if you want, dress it up with some Walnut and Parsley Pesto made using the recipe shown in these pages.
You need a large, fairly robust casserole that can be used on the hob as well as in the oven.
For 4- 6
- About 3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
- 3 onions, peeled, halved and cut into slices
- 4-6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 6-8 Good potatoes, peeled, washed and cut into chunks, or you can use pearl barley (50g per person should be fine)
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 100mls of cold dry Vermouth or cold white wine
- Salt and black pepper
- The zest and juice of a large lemon
- A small bunch of thyme, tied with string or a few bay leaves
- About1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 – 6 portions of organic, free-range chicken – legs are good for this
- A small bunch of clean parsley finely chopped or some of the walnut and parsley pesto. You can find the recipe here.
Preheat the oven to 180c
Put the oil in the casserole and set it over medium heat on the hob.
Add the onions, carrots and potatoes and fry them for five minutes or so, stirring them from time to time (be careful not to burn them) until they are starting to colour a little.
Add the garlic and stir for a minute or so more, then tip in all the cold Vermouth or wine and stir well, scraping up any bits that might have stuck to the bottom of the casserole.
Add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, the lemon zest and juice and the thyme or bay leaves and stir all the ingredients together.
Add enough of the stock to just cover the vegetables, raise the heat and when the stock starts to bubble, lay the chicken pieces on the top and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper.
Cover the casserole with the lid and put it in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is golden and completely cooked through.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley or drizzle with some parsley pesto before serving.
See also Pot Roast Chicken with Anchovies and Spelt.
