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.