Ingredients
1.5kg/4lb free range chicken
4 spring onions, sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp sea salt
10 peppercorns
rice, cooked, to serve
For the sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp tomato purée
85ml/3fl oz red wine
150ml/¼pint water
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper
caster sugar
2 slices lemon
squeeze of lemon juice
425ml/15fl oz good mayonnaise
2 tbsp apricot purée
3 tbsp whipped cream
Method
1. Place the chicken in a tightly fitting saucepan, cover with water and add the spring onions, garlic, salt and peppercorns.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the chicken once during the cooking process. Cover with a lid and switch off the heat. Leave for one hour, then remove the chicken, allow to cool completely, and cut up into portions.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil over a medium heat, add the onion and cook gently for 2-4 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for two minutes. Add the tomato purée, wine, water and bay leaf.
4. Bring to a boil. Season with the salt, pepper, sugar, lemon slices and juice. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine meshed sieve and allow to cool.
5. Gradually fold in the mayonnaise and apricot purée, to the desired taste. You may want to add more lemon juice.
6. Fold in the whipped cream.
7. Arrange the portioned chicken on a large platter, pour the sauce over the top and serve immediately, with rice.
