What I I love about casseroles is the assurance you won't get dry meat as the moisture remains trapped in the pot. This fine family dish is a crowd pleaser with a thick, flavourful sauce enrobing tender chicken pieces, and melting curried aubergines adding touches of colour and zest. I served it with extra crispy roast potatoes, using a trick a friend shared with me. I worked like a charm - all we could hear around the table were jolly scrunching sounds.
Chicken with aubergine and garlic sauce, served with polenta and rosemary coated roast potatoes
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Recipe by: Anne-Laure at Tasty Diaries Busy:30 min, Total prep time: 1 hour Serves: 6 |
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven or a large thick bottomed pan with tall sides, and brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat (8-10 min). You want to achieve a nice honey colour on the skin.
Crush lightly the garlic cloves with their skin on by pressing over them the flat side of a large knife blade.
Take the chicken out of the dutch oven and reserve. Toss the onions and garlic into the pan and sauté over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle the flour and mix well; stir in the wine and the same amount of water and add the chicken pieces back. Cover with a tight fitting lid and braise on low heat, undisturbed, for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the cubed aubergines with the curry in 2 tablespoons of hot olive oil for 5 minutes, until nicely golden but not mushy. Reserve.
After 40 minutes, take the chicken out of the pan and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Stir in the cream and aubergines into the sauce and reduce on low heat for 5-6 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve the chicken with the sauce and roast potatoes.
Prepare the potatoes:
Peel and cut the potatoes into even chunks. Toss them into a large saucepan with boiling water and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the outer edges start to be soft and fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.
Drain the water out and place the pan with the potatoes back on the heat for 30 sec or so to dry any remaining water out. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. When it is hot but not smoky, pour over the potatoes. Add the rosemary and polenta and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Holding firmly pan and lid together with both hands, shake them vigorously in all directions for 15 seconds. This will fluff out the potatoes and coat them with the polenta and herbs for a most deliciously crispy result.
Spread the potatoes on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and roast for about 35-40 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through. No need to turn them around, they will brown evenly by themselves.
Sprinkle with salt flakes before serving.
Prepare the chicken:
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven or a large thick bottomed pan with tall sides, and brown the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat (8-10 min). You want to achieve a nice honey colour on the skin.
Crush lightly the garlic cloves with their skin on by pressing over them the flat side of a large knife blade.
Take the chicken out of the dutch oven and reserve. Toss the onions and garlic into the pan and sauté over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle the flour and mix well; stir in the wine and the same amount of water and add the chicken pieces back. Cover with a tight fitting lid and braise on low heat, undisturbed, for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the cubed aubergines with the curry in 2 tablespoons of hot olive oil for 5 minutes, until nicely golden but not mushy. Reserve.
After 40 minutes, take the chicken out of the pan and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Stir in the cream and aubergines into the sauce and reduce on low heat for 5-6 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve the chicken with the sauce and roast potatoes.
Prepare the potatoes:
Peel and cut the potatoes into even chunks. Toss them into a large saucepan with boiling water and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the outer edges start to be soft and fluffy.
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C.
Drain the water out and place the pan with the potatoes back on the heat for 30 sec or so to dry any remaining water out. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. When it is hot but not smoky, pour over the potatoes. Add the rosemary and polenta and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Holding firmly pan and lid together with both hands, shake them vigorously in all directions for 15 seconds. This will fluff out the potatoes and coat them with the polenta and herbs for a most deliciously crispy result.
Spread the potatoes on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and roast for about 35-40 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through. No need to turn them around, they will brown evenly by themselves.
Sprinkle with salt flakes before serving.
For the roast potatoes you can also use seminola, made from wheat, instead of polenta (made from corn).
You can also replace the aubergines with mushrooms.
You can also replace the aubergines with mushrooms.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1.2 Kg free range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
1 large onion, diced
6 garlic cloves with their skin on
1 tablespoon flour
15 cL white wine
1 large aubergine, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 generous tablespoons creme fraiche
Salt and pepper
For the potatoes:
1.3 kg potatoes (Desirée, Maris piper)
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves pricked and finely chopped
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon polenta (optional)
For the chicken:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 1.2 Kg free range chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
1 large onion, diced
6 garlic cloves with their skin on
1 tablespoon flour
15 cL white wine
1 large aubergine, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 generous tablespoons creme fraiche
Salt and pepper
For the potatoes:
1.3 kg potatoes (Desirée, Maris piper)
4 sprigs rosemary, leaves pricked and finely chopped
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon polenta (optional)
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