Right brainses, if you like meals to taste amazing but take the minimum of effort, this is for you.
You will be needing the following.
A bottle of reasonable claret (this does NOT go in the food, but should be liberally quaffed throughout preparation).
Five(ish) good quality chicken thighs (or legs, but thighs are better).
An onion.
Clove of fresh garlic, one carrot, one parsnip, various spices (see later).
Start off by heating a large casserole dish or wide, deep pan on the hob. Chop the clove of garlic and half the onion, put them in the hot (oiled) pan and let them start to melt.
When they have begun to break up (no need to wait until they're liquefying) put in the chicken and brown it off both sides. Whilst it's browning chop up half the parsnip and the whole carrot, then add these.
Add half a teaspoon of cumin (powdered), one generous teaspoon of cinnamon, a good pinch of cayenne pepper (or even two if you like your food a little more peppery) and half a teaspoon of ground coriander (it really makes a difference if you grind the coriander seeds yourself in a pestle rather than using the powdered kind). If you like your food proper hot then this is the time to add a teaspoon or two of harissa, but I like it without.
Give it a stir and then make up a good half pint of chicken stock (again, ace if you've got the real thing around from Sunday roast but Oxo works just as well if not, just make it strong).
Pour the stock in until it covers the meat and veg, adding hot water if needs be.
Nip outside and grab a bay leaf from the garden and chuck that in too, or, if you live in the north, get one from a jar. Finally, a good few grinds of black pepper.
Boil it all, with a good stir up, and then turn the heat down and let it bubble away under a lid. It should take anywhere between an hour and 90 minutes, but it slightly depends on the meat et al so keep an eye on it from about 45 mins.
When it's close to ready make up some couscous, stirring in some butter and lemon.
Laddle the meat and veg and a little of the remaining liquid into shallow bowlsand add the couscous and you're away.
If you've done it right the meat should be falling off the bone when gently prodded with a fork/spoon, but not have fallen off already (according to my friend Natalie, who's a psychologist, this is something women find subconsciously erotic. That said, she's from Grimsby).
The amounts above will make enough for two generous portions.
Jan Koller is a Big Gay Knobber.
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