CHICKEN WITH GRAPES AND RED WINE
250ml (1 cup) mixed fresh or frozen berries 125ml (½ cup) redcurrant jelly
500ml (2 cups) red wine
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
5-15ml (1-3 tsp) cornflour
45ml (3 tbsp) water
2 small free-range chickens
Salt and black pepper
500ml (2 cups) fresh seedless red grapes on the stem
5ml (1 tsp) fresh tarragon (optional)
Heat the berries in a pan to release their juices. Add the redcurrant jelly and mix. Bring the red wine to the boil in a saucepan and keep at a steady boil for about eight minutes to cook off the alcohol. Reduce the heat and add the chicken stock and berry mixture to the red wine.
Mix the cornflour with 45ml water and gradually add to the sauce to make a medium-thick basting sauce.
Season the chickens and place them next to each other in an oiled roasting pan with the grapes on the side.
Baste chickens liberally with the sauce to prevent them from drying out. Cover the pan with foil. Bake the chickens at 180ºC for 1-1½ hours or until easy to cut, basting frequently.
Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Keep an eye on chickens so that the sauce does not burn as it has a fair amount of sugar in it.
Serve with crispy white bread. Mop up the sauce and juices as a true Greek would, which is known as “voutigma”. They can be made a day ahead but only place the dried lemon