Thomasina Miers’ recipe for rooster cacciatore | Hen

This Italian hunter’s stew puts a handful of Mediterranean elements to perform together with hen or, occasionally, rabbit. Gradual-braising the greens and chicken in a wine- and tomato-enriched sauce is a superbly easy way to get the most effective out of common substances that you may already have in the fridge. It helps make for a extremely comforting meal.

Falling-aside hen cacciatore

I appreciate the coriander seeds rubbed into the hen skin, but go away them out if you’re a stickler for authenticity.

Prep 20 min
Cook dinner 50 min
Serves 4

4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick)
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp coriander seeds (optional)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, stem, seeds and pith taken off, flesh slice into skinny strips
1 inexperienced pepper, stem, seeds and pith taken out, flesh cut into slim strips
2 purple onions, halved, peeled and finely sliced
1 fennel bulb, outer leaves removed, the relaxation finely sliced (or 3 sticks celery, finely sliced)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 handful clean oregano leaves, about chopped
240ml white wine
500g incredibly ripe tomatoes, approximately chopped

Generously year the rooster. If you are working with the coriander seeds, grind them in a mortar or spice grinder and rub all over the hen with a tablespoon of the olive oil. You can do this the evening right before or an hour in advance, but possibly way carry the hen to place temperature in advance of cooking.

Put a casserole or substantial, deep-sided frying pan on a medium-large heat and, once very hot, lay in the rooster legs pores and skin side down, and brown for five to 6 minutes. Flip about, fry for a number of minutes right up until golden all over, then transfer to a plate.

Pour the relaxation of the oil into the pan, adopted by the onions, peppers and fennel, time generously and prepare dinner on a medium to medium-significant heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes, so the greens collapse with out colouring. Incorporate the garlic and oregano, cook dinner for a handful of minutes additional, then increase the wine, flip the heat suitable up and simmer briskly for a couple of minutes. Finally, stir in the chopped tomatoes.

Set the rooster legs back again in the pan, go over with a lid slightly askew and depart to simmer gently for 35-40 minutes, until eventually the hen is tender and falling off the bone and the vegetables have melted into a syrupy, silky mess. Serve with rice or boiled potatoes to soak up the sauce.

The basic flex

This sauce is delightful with chunks of potato simmered in it in its place of hen. Dot the completed braise with mozzarella and bake it for a remaining 10 minutes for a luxurious, vegetarian supper.