Apricot Harissa Chicken And Vegetables

 So I made the harissa last week in readiness for this recipe.  I find Cook, eat, repeat (Nigella's latest) more like her tv shows - very lyrical and wordy, and personal - in a good way.  I was saying to Mr P. the other day that I've learned most about cooking from my mum (of course), then Nigella and the marvellous Delia Smith. 

I still remember making a roux for white sauce, then adding the (cold) milk and stirring, stirring...  I used to sit on a high stool as I was - mm - rather short as a small child.  But who could forget Delia's marvellous method for bechamel?  Chuck everything into a saucepan and let it rip; i.e. stir madly till it all comes together.  Oops, sorry, that has nothing to do with this recipe.  Concentrate, woman!

ready to eat

ingredients:

900g./2 lb sweet potatoes - or use a mix of sweet and regular

2-3 red capsicum (about 400g./14 oz)

2 leeks or a mix of brown onions, French shallots and spring onions

45 mL/1.5 oz EV olive oil

60 mL/2 oz apricot harissa

1 kg/2.2 lb chicken thighs - choose bone-in, skin-on OR go for thigh fillets as I did, as Mr P. hates bones and skin:-)

2-3 limes, juiced (you want about 2 tbs)

2 tbs maple syrup (optional)

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp sea salt flakes

a wee bit (or a lot) of ground black pepper

    

Method:

On goes the oven at 200C/400F

Scrub and/or peel the sweet potatoes, and chop into 4-5cm chunks

Chop the capsicums into 4-5cm chunks (get rid of the seeds)

Clean and slice the leeks, or roughly chop the onion, shallots and spring onion

Cut each thigh fillet (if using) into three pieces; leave the bony ones whole

Grab your biggest roasting tin (or 2 as the case may be) and throw in the olive oil and harissa

Stir them together with a fork (or your hand), then in go the veg. and chicken, and toss very well together - I suggest using a food-safe glove as this is messy!

Now add the lime juice, the maple syrup, the oregano, salt and pepper and give it another toss

This will take 50 mins to 1 hour to bake: skin-on and bone-in thighs will take the hour most likely

Nigella says to serve with a salad; we did what we were told:-)

Notes:

Nigella suggests a tray that is 34 x 37 x 5cm.  Mine was smaller, so I needed 2 trays

I used one brown onion, 3 French shallots and one fat spring onion.  Much to my surprise, Mr P. doesn't like leeks.  Who knew?!

I decided to add the oregano, maple syrup and pepper just for... They added a delicious frisson of flavour

ingredients gathered

and chopped

I used this chicken - vego fed!

seasoned and ready to go into the oven

baked till tender after 50 mins.

I'm hungry ...

I'm going in - as Nigella would say

and for those interested in Naked Ginger ...

artwork © Sherry's Pickings