Jamie Olivers Simplest Chicken Leek Stew Food

HUMBLE CHICKEN STEW & DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For this recipe, you will need 1 leftover chicken carcass, plus up to 300g leftover cooked chicken. Strip all the meat you can find off the chicken carcass, and put aside.
• Place the carcass and any bones in a large pan and use a rolling pin to smash them all up. Cover with 1 litre of water, bring to the boil, then simmer for at least 30 minutes, skimming away any scum from the surface.
• Meanwhile, finely slice the bacon and place in a large casserole pan on a medium heat with a lug of oil, while you peel and chop the onions, carrots, and potatoes or celeriac into 2cm dice.
• Add to the pan along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Halve and stir in the mushrooms, along with the leftover chicken and plain flour.
• Pour the stock through a sieve straight into the pan (topping up with a little water, if needed) and let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until thick and delicious, while you start your dumplings.
• Place the self-raising flour and a pinch of sea salt in a mixing bowl. Coarsely grate in the butter and rub together until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add 100ml of cold water and bring into a ball of dough. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls.
• When the time's up, loosen the stew with a good splash of water if needed, season to perfection, then transfer it to an ovenproof pan and place the balls on top.
• Pop the lid on and bake at 190°C/375°F/gas 5 for 30 minutes, or until hot through and the dumplings are fluffy and cooked. Serve with some seasonal greens.

JOOLS' SIMPLE CHICKEN & VEG STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºC/gas 5.
• Trim, wash and slice the leeks 1cm thick, scrub and cut the carrots into rough chunks and finely slice the celery. Peel and finely slice the garlic, pick the thyme leaves, discarding the stalks, and finely slice the bacon.
• Heat a lug of oil in a large casserole pan on a medium heat, then add the bacon. Scatter in the thyme leaves and fry for a few minutes, or until the bacon is golden.
• Next, add the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for around 10 minutes, or until the leeks start to soften, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the celeriac and parsnips, then roughly chop the potatoes.
• Add the chicken, celeriac, parsnips and potatoes to the pan. Stir in the Marmite, add a good grinding of black pepper and stir to coat.
• Pour in the hot stock, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low. Crumple up and wet a piece of greaseproof paper, then open it out and place on top of the stew. Cover with a lid and pop in the oven for 1 hour, or until the chicken is super-tender.
• When the time's up, gently break the chicken up into the stew, then serve up in bowls. I like to serve this with broccoli on the side. Sometimes I top it with puff pastry or I stir it through pasta for a really tasty sauce.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN AND CORN STEW

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat butter and oil in a 4- to 5-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then lightly brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over occasionally with tongs, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a bowl using tongs.
• While chicken is browning, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Add onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon thyme to pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and water and bring to a boil, whisking.
• Add potatoes and corn to onion mixture, then cover and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in chicken (along with any juices accumulated in bowl) and cream, then simmer, covered, until chicken is just cooked through and potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon thyme.

CHICKEN STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in your largest pan - an extra-large wok with a lid is ideal. Fry the onion and garlic for a few mins until soft, then pour in the stock and stir in the potato and herbs.
• Add the chicken and bring to the boil. Stir in the carrots, parsnips and leeks, then cover the pan and leave to simmer on a low heat for 40-45 mins, stirring every now and then, until the chicken is tender. (Cool and freeze any extra portions, and use within 2 months - thaw at room temperature, then reheat in a pan until bubbling.) Serve with mash and peas, if you like.

CREAMY CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Tip the leeks and oil into a flameproof casserole dish on a low heat, add the butter and cook everything very gently for 10 mins or until the leeks are soft.
• Put the chicken, skin-side down, in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat, cook until the skin browns, then turn and brown the other side. You shouldn't need any oil but if the skin starts to stick, add a little. Add the chicken to the leeks, leaving behind any fat in the pan.
• Add the stock to the dish and bring to a simmer, season well, cover and cook for 30 mins on low. Stir in the mustard, crème fraîche and peas and bring to a simmer. You should have quite a bit of sauce.
• When you're ready to serve, put the grill on. Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley, sprinkle them over the chicken and grill until browned.