A delicious and nutritious one pot Winter warmer. A low GI meal Packed full of protein from the chicken and lentils which makes the most of seasonal produce. If you are not keen on Savoy cabbages use Hispi/Sweetheart cabbages instead. If you feel like you want something more fancy, use duck legs; season them and cook skin-side down in the pan until well browned and the fat has rendered and you can substitute the cabbage for bulb fennel which pairs well with both the duck and the lentils. Keep the feathery fronds to snip over the top in place, or in addition to the parsley. INGREDIENTS - to feed four
2 tablespoons olive, avocado or vegetable oil or duck fat 4 x chicken or duck leg quarters
2 medium onions chopped finely
4-6 ribs celery chopped finely
2-3 medium carrots chopped finely
2-3 cloves of garlic crushed
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme 300g canned Puy or green lentils
75ml red wine vinegar
800ml boiling water or chicken stock
1 savoy or 2 small hispi cabbages cut into 6-8 wedges
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard blended with 2 teaspoons olive oil
Maldon salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 small handful chopped parsley
1 large Le Creuset or similar ovenproof pan with a lid that will hold the legs in a single layer.
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat the vegetable oil in the large casserole pan over a medium heat and brown the chicken legs seasoned with salt and pepper. If you are using duck legs, omit the oil and brown slowly over a low light to render off as much fat as you can. Discard the excess fat. Remove the meat from the pan and put to one side.
Add the onion, celery, carrot and thyme sprigs. Lower the heat.
Sweat the vegetables gently for about 10- 12 minutes until the onions are translucent, stir in the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the vinegar and lentils and increase the heat. Once most of the vinegar has evaporated, stir in the boiling water or stock. Sit the cabbage wedges on top of the lentil mixture and top with the chicken/duck.Cover with the lid and place the casserole in the oven for 45 minutes covered and then uncover for 20-25 minutes more. Transfer the chicken and cabbage to a plate and stir the mustard/oil mixture into the lentils.
Check and adjust the seasoning and then divide the lentils between 4 deep plates and then top with the cabbage and chicken.
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