Monday, 8 January 2007

Jo Wood's Rock'n'Roll Stew

Ronnie's wife Jo says: 'I've cooked this many times for our friends'

Ingredients

2tbsp olive oil
6 chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2cm/¾in piece fresh ginger, chopped
1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
125g/4½oz orange lentils
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 medium carrots, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper
Pinch nutmeg
Approx 750ml/1¼pt chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan that can subsequently go in the oven, then add the chicken and brown well. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender but not coloured. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for 1 min.
4. Add the chickpeas, butternut squash, lentils, sweet potatoes and carrots and season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg.
5. Return the chicken to the pan. Pour over enough stock to cover everything with about 2cm to spare, cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then place in the oven for about 1hr or until the veggies are tender and the chicken's cooked through.

Recipe from Naturally by Jo Wood (£12.99, Sidgwick & Jackson, published 26 January 2007)