This Turkish chicken dish with aubergine and warm spices is perfect for a spring dinner party. The sautéed aubergines give the sauce a distinctive rich, smooth flavour.
Serves: 6
Keeps for 2 days in
the fridge
Freezes for 3 months
Ingredients
● 450g aubergines, cut into 1cm cubes
● 1 tbsp salt
● 125ml sunflower oil
● 6 chicken joints, skinned
● 1 heaped tbsp flour
● ½ tsp salt
● 10 grinds of black pepper
● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 large onion, chopped
● 1 garlic clove, chopped
● 600ml vegetable stock
● 3 tbsp tomato purée
● 1 tsp salt
● 2 tsp brown sugar
● 10 grinds of black pepper
● ½ tsp ground cinnamon
● ½ tsp ground cumin
● ½ tsp ground coriander
Method
● Preheat the oven to 160°C.
● Place the aubergine cubes in a bowl, cover with cold water and add the salt. Leave for half an hour and then squeeze out as much moisture as possible, or use a salad spinner.
● Put the sunflower oil in a large frying pan and heat for 3 minutes.
● Add the aubergine, cover and sauté on all sides until golden brown. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.
● Season the flour with ½ tsp salt and the black pepper.Dry the chicken joints well and coat with the seasoned flour. In an oven-to-table casserole or sauté pan, fry the portions in the hot olive oil until they are a rich brown on all sides, then lift out and drain on paper towels to remove any surface fat.
● In the same oil, gently sauté the chopped onion and garlic until they turn a rich brown.
● Keep the pan lid on for 5 minutes to soften them in the steam, then remove it to finish the browning.
● Add the stock, tomato purée and seasonings.
● Stir well to release any tasty crispy bits adhering to the base of the casserole, then lay the chicken on top and surround with the fried aubergines.
● Bring to simmering point. Immediately cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 50 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is rich and thick.
