Chicken & pine mushroom casserole with apple cider

SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

8 large free range chicken thighs, skin on and bone in ¼ cup (35g) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

60g unsalted butter

5 large (150g) eshallots, peeled and roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely

400g pine mushrooms, halved if large

½ cup (125ml) verjuice

1 cup (250ml) apple cider

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock

1 fresh bay leaf

4 sprigs lemon thyme

1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Dust the chicken thighs in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess flour.

2 Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large casserole pan and place over medium high heat, cook chicken until well browned each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3 Discard the remaining oil from pan and wipe with paper towel to remove any burnt flour. Then place back over the heat. Add the butter, once this is nut brown pour in the remaining olive oil to inhibit the butter from burning. Add the eschallots and garlic and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until well caramelized, then add the pine mushrooms and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.

4 Deglaze with verjuice and reduce by half. Return chicken to pan; add cider and stock, the liquid should come about halfway up chicken. Bring to a rapid simmer then add bay and thyme. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour or until tender.

5 If sauce needs thickening, remove chicken from pan and transfer to a plate. Place pan back over a medium heat, bring to a simmer, reduce by one third. Place chicken back into sauce. If liked, serve with steamed greens and mashed potato.

Not suitable to freeze.

From Maggis “You pick quinces in May but they last, scenting the kitchen, till July ... even without cooking them!”