Jerk chicken & sweet potato stew
SERVES 6 ¾ tsp allspice ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tbsp lemon thyme leaves 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tbsp cider vinegar 6 free-range chicken legs good olive oil sea salt and black pepper 1 bunch spring onions trimmed and thickly sliced 2 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced 300ml chicken stock 700g orange-fleshed sweet potatoes peeled halved lengthways and thickly sliced ● Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 2½. Combine the spices with the sugar and lemon thyme in a small bowl. In another small bowl, blend the tomato purée with the lime juice and vinegar. ● Brush the chicken legs all over with oil and season well. Heat a large heavy casserole with a lid (or similar) over a medium-high heat and add the chicken in batches, colour the pieces each side and set aside. ● Turn the heat down to medium-low, drain any rendered fat, add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan and fry the spring onions and garlic for about 2 minutes until glossy and starting to relax, stirring frequently. Stir in the spice mixture and briefly fry until fragrant, then add the tomato purée mixture and the stock. ● Add the sweet potatoes and return the chicken to the pan, nestling it among the potatoes. The liquid will only half cover the ingredients, but the stew gets juicier as it cooks. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hours or until the chicken is tender, turning the pieces halfway through.