Smoky chilli tex-mex chicken

SERVES 4 1 x dried ancho chilli sea salt and black pepper 1.5kg free-range mixed chicken thighs and drumsticks 2 tbsp good olive oil 1 large onion peeled and chopped 2 long red peppers core and seeds removed cut into thin strips 6cm long 3 garlic cloves peeled and finely sliced 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried mint or oregano 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

Place the ancho chilli in a small bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes, turning it over halfway through. Drain, pull out the core and coarsely chop the flesh, discarding the seeds.

Season the chicken pieces on both sides. Heat a large, heavy casserole with a lid (or similar) over a medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and colour the chicken on both sides in batches, removing the pieces to a bowl as you go.

Tip out the fat, add another tablespoon of oil, turn the heat down a little and fry the onion and peppers for 6-8 minutes until starting to colour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, spices, mint and chopped chilli and fry for a couple of minutes longer until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the tinned tomatoes and stir the chicken into the sauce, pressing the pieces down to almost cover them. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over a low heat for 1 hour, turning the chicken pieces halfway through.

Divide the chicken among warm plates or bowls. Skim the excess oil off the surface of the sauce, taste and, if wished, simmer to reduce and concentrate the flavour a little before ladling over the chicken.