Читать книгу Tony & Giorgio - Tony Allan, Giorgio Locatelli - Страница 19

This is a very old recipe that probably originated in Sardinia. What saves it from being just another nice, homely stew is the surprising tang of the lemon juice. Be sure to use unwaxed lemons. Giorgio

Serves 4

4 lemons 2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 globe artichokes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

4 chicken legs

a little plain flour, for dusting

100ml/3f½fl oz white wine

250ml/9fl oz chicken stock

50g/2 oz parsley, chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Half fill a saucepan with water and add 1 lemon, cut in half, 1 bay leaf, the vinegar and some salt. Snap the stalks off the artichokes. With a paring knife, starting from the base of the artichoke, trim off all the leaves and then remove the hairy choke, until you are left with only a neatly shaped heart. Cut another lemon in half and rub the base of the artichokes with the cut side. Put the artichoke hearts in the saucepan of water, bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain and cut into quarters.

Grate the zest of the remaining 2 lemons and sprinkle over the chicken. Dust the chicken very lightly with flour. In a large casserole, heat half the olive oil, add the chicken and cook over a high heat for a few minutes, until a golden crust has formed. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the casserole and add the onions, garlic and remaining bay leaf. Cook for 3-4 minutes over a medium heat, until softened.

Raise the heat and add the white wine to the pan, stirring and scraping at the residue on the base of the pan and allowing the wine to bubble and reduce for a minute or two. Add the reduced wine, chicken and artichokes to the softened onion mixture and cook over a gentle heat, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover the pan with a lid and braise the chicken very gently for about 30 minutes, stirring half-way through.

Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and the juice of 1 lemon, then adjust the seasoning.