Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
4 chicken breasts
1 lemon
3 oranges
4 cloves
75g/3oz Serrano ham (including the fat), or pancetta,
thyme sprigs, finely sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
450g/1lb pickling onions or small shallots, peeled
1 glass dry fino sherry or manzanilla sherry
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Heat the oil in a roomy casserole dish. Fry the breasts and thighs until brown all over.
2. Scrub the lemon and oranges and chop into chunks. Poke some cloves into the peel of the oranges.
3. When the chicken is brown remove it from the casserole dish. Fry the onions, cloves and fruit for five minutes until the onions are brown.
4. Meanwhile, roll the ham into bundles and secure with thyme stalks.
5. Remove half the onions and fruit and reserve.
6. Put the chicken back into the dish.
7. Add the wine and a glass of water to the casserole dish. Let it bubble up, adding salt and pepper then add the bundles of ham on top of the chicken pieces.
8. Turn down the heat and cover for 20-30 minutes.
9. Remove the chicken pieces and keep them warm along with the reserved fruit and onions.
10. Boil up the fruit and onions and mash until the sauce is jammy and thick.
11. Serve each piece with its own sauce on a thick toasted slice of country bread rubbed with a little garlic.
