Throw away the phone number for the take-away, and impress your friends with this simple dish fromCool Sharing, by Louise Pickford (Cassell Illustrated, £9.99) sister book to Cool Eating by the same author.
MUM'S SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
Serves 4
25g butter
2 tbs olive oil
8 large chicken drumsticks, skinned
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 large green pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves crushed
300ml chicken stock
3 tbs red wine vinegar
3 tbs tomato puree
2 tbs soft brown sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs chopped fresh tarragon
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees/gas three. Heat the butter and oil together in a flameproof casserole and fry the chicken drumsticks for five minutes until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion, pepper and garlic to the pan and fry gently for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Return the chicken to the pan.
Combine the remaining ingredients, adding some salt and pepper, and add to the pan, then bring back to the boil. Cover the casserole with the lid and bake for one and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is falling from the bone and the sauce has thickened (remove the lid for the final 15 minutes). Season to taste and serve with mashed potato.