THE CANNY COOK CHICKEN, LEEK AND SWEET POTATO STEW
LOWER YOUR FOOD BILLS AND STILL EAT WELL WITH FOOD EDITOR ELEANOR MAIDMENT This warming soup-stew hybrid is pure comfort – especially if you’re feeling under the weather
At this time of year I use a lot of stocks in my cooking. There’s a constant rotation of soups and stews on my hob to keep us going through the colder months and the better the stock, the better they taste. (I tend to use chicken or veg stock for pretty much everything.)
Of course, as a food editor,
I’m going to say that making your own stock is the best option. You know exactly what’s in it and it freezes so well once made. An about-to-be-binned carcass from a Sunday roast chicken and a few basic veg (onion, celery and carrots are essential for me) can
You know what is in home-made stock – and it freezes well
be left gently bubbling away for two to three hours to create a wonderful result. But I realise that not everybody has the time and inclination for this – getting it on the hob is the easy part, whereas straining it and clearing up afterwards is a bit more faffy.
If you turn to the supermarkets, where you’ll often find a huge range of options, make sure you check the ingredients before buying. You might find artificial flavour enhancers, anti-caking agents, a fair amount of salt and sugar in many stock cubes. Try to buy low-salt versions – such as Kallo organic chicken stock cubes or Marigold vegan bouillon powder, then adding a little of your own salt if necessary – and varieties with as many easily recognisable ingredients as possible. It may cost you a little extra, but I think it’s one ingredient that merits investing in.
METHOD
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken thigh fillets and fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Halve and slice the leeks and add to the pan. Cover and sweat over a medium-low heat until softened (5 minutes). Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into 3-4cm chunks, add to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the fresh thyme sprigs,
nestle the chicken on top of the vegetables and pour in 500ml chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and cook for another 15-30 minutes, then season with salt, pepper and lemon juice (add a splash of water if you want more liquid). By now the sweet potato should have broken down to create a thick sauce – break up gently with a fork if not. I like to shred the chicken into large pieces with 2 forks – or you can simply chop it into chunks. Great served with a dollop of yogurt on top.