Catalan Chicken

Preparation time :	20 minutes
Cooking time :	1 hour 10 minutes
Total time :	1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

1kg firm beef tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small chicken, jointed, or 4-6 joints such as breasts and legs
1 large onion, halved and sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
150ml dry sherry
6-8 strands saffron, soaked in 2 tsp boiling water
1-2 bay leaves
1 short stick cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

To finish
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped almonds   - Waitrose Wholesome Almonds (44)/Brazil Nuts (45)/Cashews Nuts (40)/Pistachios (57) - 3 FOR 2, MIX AND MATCH

Method

1. Halve the tomatoes, discarding the seeds.
2. With the curved side in your palm, grate the flesh on a coarse grater; stop before you reach the tomatoes' skin.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan on a medium heat. Fry the chicken for about 10 minutes until golden. Remove and reserve. In the fat that remains in the pan, fry the onion, garlic and pepper until golden. Add the tomato pulp, sherry and saffron with its water, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes to evaporate excess liquid - you want a fairly thick sauce at this stage. Return the chicken to the pan with the bay leaves, cinnamon and seasoning. Bring to a simmer, cover loosely and cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce thick and jammy.
4. Meanwhile, to finish, heat 1 tbsp oil over a medium-high heat and fry the breadcrumbs and almonds until golden. Stir in the paprika and tip over the chicken just before serving. This is great with an endive saladand chips fried in olive oil.