Give Me Five: Tomato pilaf with chicken and crispy sage

All winter I look forward to the locally grown produce that fills the markets this time of year. Herb beds are overflowing with green due to all the rain showers and bursts of sunshine over the past few months. Even if we didn’t get the beautiful weather we would have liked for summer, there was warmth.

Warm days and the magnifying heat from a polytunnel have resulted in a bumper crop of homegrown tomatoes this year. I would have loved to have seen these tomatoes months ago, but of course they all arrive at once and there are so many that need processing. I halved and dehydrated a few pounds in my dehydrator overnight. So that’s “sun-dried” tomatoes for the next few months.

The rest I simmered down, blitzed and sieved to make passata, which I have frozen in little Ziploc bags. I know it’ll come in handy for pizzas, Bolognese and anything that needs the summer-soaked kiss of tomato. I’ve been making this pilaf with the really ripe ones. It’s so simple to make, and my kids love it.

This is more of a Greek-style pilaf: buttery plump rice that’s been cooked in a little water and the juice of the tomatoes. Greek pilaf is fluffy and soft, not soupy or sticky. For an even more authentic Greek flavour, add a bay leaf and a cinnamon stick to the pot.

I often use any rice that’s in the house, but Arborio is nicest. Orzo or bulgar wheat is also delicious. You could use a little olive oil in place of the butter, but I think the butter gives it a creamy sweetness that really enhances the resulting dish. I love the burst of zesty lemon juice with the crispy chicken, so serve big wedges of lemon with each portion.

Any leftover pilaf is perfect for stuffing peppers, or you could crumble in some feta, then shape the pilaf into little cakes. Roll in semolina, then fry similar to arancini (deep-fried risotto balls).

Sage leaves are delicious fried. They’re oily and meaty, with a distinctive peppery taste that’s often paired with poultry, usually in stuffing. Like kaffir lime leaves, you can freeze sage leaves whole. Just remove the stems, then place in a bag in the freezer for up to a year. Pork chops are a great alternative to the chicken breasts, and pair really well with the sage.

This time of year, sage grows really well. It has lots of medicinal uses, too: a tea made from sage leaves is said to be good for sore throats and the respiratory system. Rinsing dark hair in sage-infused water adds shine and darkens the hair. A small pot of this shrub will supply the average kitchen with more than enough sage all year round.

TOMATO PILAF WITH CHICKEN: SERVES 4

The five ingredients

• 350g tomatoes
• 225g Arborio rice
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 lemon
• 8-12 sage leaves

From the pantry

• 50g butter
• 80g plain four
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

Roughly cube the tomatoes. Melt the butter in a heavy-based medium saucepan. Add the rice and tomatoes and stir well. Leave to simmer for a minute, then add 250ml water. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and simmer until the rice is cooked and most of the liquid absorbed. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Season well with salt and black pepper.

Heat four tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the sage leaves until crispy. This only takes a few seconds, and the leaves tend to spit, so fry with care. Remove and set aside on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, remove the zest from the lemon. Ensure it is really fine. Mix with 80g plain flour and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour.

Fry the chicken breasts in the sage-scented olive oil in the frying pan until crispy and cooked (about 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness).

To serve, divide the pilaf between four bowls, top with a wedge of lemon, crispy sage leaves and the chicken.

• Every Thursday, we'll tweet the five ingredients from @lillyhiggins and @irishtimeslife so you can have them ready for Friday. Email givemefive@irishtimes.com with your suggestions for recipes