Paprika Chicken

When I was a little girl I didn't go much for picture books. I either had a selection of aunts to read me proper books until I could read myself, or cook books with colour pictures. Food is an obsession for me that has, as they say, come early and stayed late.

I've posted before about my fascination for my mother's St Michael's cookbook. I have still never used the techniques for boning and stuffing a turkey, filleting a sole or dressing a crab, but it did contain some darn good recipes. The Keema (curried mince) is very good, the bramble mousse is delicious and the paprika chicken is easy, economical and very tasty.

I don't usually re-publish other people's recipes, but since I am fairly sure it is out of print (although available second hand on Amazon) I will do this one.

Paprika Chicken

Butter or oil for frying
1/2kg onions, peeled and finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 chicken thigh cutlets
1 tbs paprika
150ml chicken or vegetable stock
Sour cream to finish

Melt the butter in an ovenproof casserole & add the onions and garlic. Cover and cook over a very low heat, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes until golden and soft, almost a puree [this is not the time to take shortcuts and add sugar to caramelise the onions. You need it to be really properly cooked otherwise the onions are quite indigestible]. Raise the heat slightly, add the chicken & paprika. Spoon the onion over the chicken and add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in a moderate oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear. Most of the sauce will have evaporated, leaving you with a thick red puree coating the chicken. Adjust seasoning (probably no more salt but a bit of pepper).

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

For this meal I cut a cauliflower and an enormous pattypan squash into chunks and roasted them with olive oil and cloves of garlic