Braised chicken with sherry and green olives

SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

¼ cup (35g) raisins

¼ cup (60ml) dry Spanish sherry 1 medium bulb garlic, halved

1 medium (350g) leek, trimmed, sliced thinly

3 medium (360g) carrots, sliced

300g large green olives

1 cup (250ml) chicken stock

80g butter, softened

6 (1.5kg) chicken supremes (see Michele’s tip)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ cup (80g) blanched almonds, toasted, chopped coarsely

1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup (75g) pomegranate seeds

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

2 Put the raisins and sherry in a small bowl; stand for 10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, put the garlic, leek, carrot and olives in base of a large roasting pan. Pour over the stock; cover with foil. Roast for 20 minutes.

4 Drain the soaking juices into a jug and put the raisins and butter into a small food processor; season. Process until the raisins and butter are well combined.

5 Make a little pocket under the skin of each of the chicken pieces and press the flavoured butter into the pockets.

6 Remove the vegetables from the oven; discard foil and nestle the chicken, skin-side up, into the vegetables. Pour over the reserved sherry, drizzle with oil and season the chicken skin. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes.

7 Serve the chicken and vegetables scattered with the almonds, parsley and pomegranate seeds. Not suitable to freeze or microwave.