Andalucia Life Recipe - Pollo con Ajo (Garlic Chicken)

This recipe is from Steve Marlow at La Taberna in Castillo. We asked for something typically Spanish and easy. As ever Steve produced exactly what was requested.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 whole chicken (jointed into 8 or 10 pieces, skin on)
3 tablespoon olive oil
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bottle (25cl) San Miguel beer or similar
1 normal glass dry sherry
salt, black pepper
parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
lemon wedges

Method

Heat the oven to 200 C.

Put a casserole dish on the stove and heat the olive oil. Place the chicken in the dish and brown on all sides for about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the garlic into the casserole. Cook for 1 minute then add the beer and sherry.

Bring to a simmer, cover and put in the oven for 30 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the lid and replace in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley, garnish with the lemon and serve.

Patatas de Pobre is a good accompaniment.

(Note: The chicken can be removed from its cooking liquor and served as suggested. If a thin sauce is preferred then remove the fat from the cooking liquor. The remainder will have thickened slightly from the gelatine in the chicken and is delicious.)

Penguin Kidneys!

Ingredients (serves 4)

500 gm kidneys, lamb, pig or calf, whichever you prefer
100 ml vodka
50 ml dry sherry
20 ml Lea and Perrins sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon tomato puree
dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon marscapone cheese (optional)

Method

Remove the outer skin from the kidneys and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the fatty veins. Cut into 1 cm thick slices. Mix the vodka, sherry, Lea and Perrins sauce, mustard, tomato puree, and Tabasco in a bowl. Marinate the kidneys overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and, using a slotted spoon, remove the kidneys from the marinade leaving most of the juice behind. Cook the kidneys until the blood stops flowing then add the rest of the marinade mix. Bring to a boil to cook off the alcohol and then check for seasoning. Stir in the marscapone cheese just before serving.