This is a nice soupy-stew sort of thing. Perfect for cold nights but still with nice fresh flavours.
Wine Suggestion: We went a bit left-field for this dish and look for an aged white Rioja where you get the roundness and poise of an oaked chardonnay but with a slightly softer acidity. Graceful in age the Urbina Rioja Bianco Crianza 2014 was both youthful with melon and citrus fruits, and with a layer of aged, tertiary fennel, aniseed and peach. A joy to know this is the current release from an under the radar winery.
Chicken with leeks & orzo – serves 3
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 large chicken thighs
- 250g leeks, cut into short lengths, wash well to get rid of any grit and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- 1 litre chicken stock
- half a lemon, cut into 2 fat wedges
- 6 black peppercorns
- 200g orzo
- 150g frozen peas
- a small handful of parsley, roughly chopped
- a small handful of tarragon, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Heat the oil in a large, deep casserole dish. Fry the chicken thighs until well-browned on both sides, then remove and set aside.
Add the leeks to the chicken fat in the pan and cook over a medium-low heat, with the lid on, for 5 minutes, you want them softened but not browned.
Add the stock and stir with a wooden spoon until it comes to the boil, then add half the lemon, peppercorns and 1 tsp of salt. Scatter in the orzo and boil for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, then cover and bake for 35 minutes.
Add the peas, then return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Add the tarragon and parsley and serve in warm bowls.
(Original recipe from A Cook’s Book by Nigel Slater, 4th Estate, 2021)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 