L'Escarelle Sauvignon Blanc 2003

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This one-pot supper of spiced chicken is incredibly easy to make – just add a steaming bowl of couscous and lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Total time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

450g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 tbsp flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp sumac
4 tbsp currants or raisins
250ml chicken stock
50g toasted pine nuts
juice of 1 lemon
chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
lemon wedges and couscous, to serve

1. Remove excess fat from the chicken thighs, cut the meat into large chunks and toss in the seasoned flour. Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat, then cook the chicken, in batches, until lightly golden all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring often.
3. Return the chicken to the pan with the spices, currants or raisins and stock. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5–10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the pine nuts and lemon juice. Garnish with coriander and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over, accompanied by a bowl of couscous.

Top tip

Sumac, the ground berries of the sumac bush, is a purple-red spice with a tangy, slightly salty flavour, frequently used in Middle Eastern cookery.

Perfect partner

Hickinbotham Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
This wine is so fabulous – it’s very versatile and great with lots of dishes, but this combination is a sure-fire winner!

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An unusual but very elegant dish – the sweet blend of peaches, white wine and vanilla sets of the taste of these little birds beautifully.

Serves 4

Total time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 50 mins

Ingredients

4 x 400g poussins
4 tbsp soft light brown sugar
4 small peaches, peeled
600ml sweet white wine
125ml chicken stock
2 vanilla pods, split, seeds removed and reserved

1. Preheat the oven to 200º C/Gas 6. Season the poussins with salt and black pepper to taste, place in a roasting tin and roast for 40 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the poussins with the sugar and add the peaches, wine, stock and vanilla pods and seeds to the tin. Return to the oven for 8 minutes, or until the poussins are cooked through, basting a couple of times with the pan juices.
3. Remove the poussins and peaches from the tin and keep warm. Place the tin on the hob over medium heat and simmer the cooking liquid for 2–3 minutes, or until it is slightly thickened. Serve the poussins hot, with the peaches and the vanilla sauce.

Top tip

Poussins are delicately flavoured young chickens weighing between 400 and 550g. The smaller ones are perfect for single portions, while the larger ones will serve two.

Perfect partner

Santa Ana Chardonnay Viognier 2008
This elegant dish is lovely served with an intense white with a delicate finish.

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This sumptious dish incorporates many fine Italian ingredients and is bound to impress your dinner-party guests.

Serves 6

Total time: 55 mins
Cooking time: 35 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
100g unsmoked pancetta, chopped
50g grated Parmesan cheese
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 egg
6 boneless chicken breasts, with skin
125ml dry white wine
200g mascarpone cheese
3 tbsp basil pesto

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Place the mixture in a food processor with the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper to taste and blend for a few seconds until combined but still coarse in texture. Leave to cool completely.
2. Use your fingers to gently loosen the skin of the chicken breasts, taking care not to tear it. Carefully push the breadcrumb mixture underneath the skin. Pull the skin back over the stuffing, then cover and chill for 30 minutes, or until the stuffing is firm. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts, skin sides down and in batches if necessary, for 2 minutes, or until golden, then turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts, skin sides up, to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 10–15 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, add the wine to the frying pan and cook until it is reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the mascarpone and heat through gently, then stir in the pesto. Spoon the pesto sauce over the chicken breasts to serve.

Top tip

Pancetta is the Italian version of streaky bacon and, like bacon, is available smoked and unsmoked. It's also good in pasta sauces, pizzas and sprinkled over salads. If you can't find it, just substitute unsmoked bacon.

Perfect partner

Bilbul Road Riesling 2007 - When served chilled, this complex Riesling brings freshness to an opulent and rich dish.

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Classic turkey risotto is given a fresh twist with the addition of pesto. This recipe is perfect for buffets.

Serves 4

Total time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

25g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
225g arborio or other risotto rice
125ml dry white wine
725ml hot chicken stock
400g turkey breast fillet, cut into strips
1 tbsp olive oil
175g basil pesto
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Heat the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine, increase the heat and boil until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
2. Add a ladleful of the hot stock to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer gently until it has been absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue adding the stock in this way until it has all been used. The risotto should be plump and tender but still have a bit of bite.
3. When the risotto is almost done, fry the turkey strips in the oil for 4–5 minutes, or until cooked through. Season the risotto to taste, stir in the pesto, turkey and basil and cook until piping hot. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and serve at once, with the Parmesan.

Top tip

You can make this with leftover roast turkey too – cut it into strips and add to the risotto when it’s almost cooked.

Perfect partner

The Folly Chardonnay Pinot Grigio Halves 2008 - There’s nothing foolish about bringing this wine and this dish together!

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A hearty supper of tender chicken and vegetables in a rich cheese sauce, topped with a layer of crisp puff pastry.

Serves 4

Total time: 1½ hours
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 mins

450ml chicken stock
2 large carrots, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 large chicken breast fillets
3 large leeks, thickly sliced
40g butter
40g flour
550ml milk
60g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
450g ready-made puff pastry
flour, for dusting
1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Put the chicken stock into a pan with the carrots, onion and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and leeks to the pan and simmer, covered, for a further 10 minutes.
2. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, then return to the heat and bring to simmering point, whisking constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes, or until thickened, then remove from the heat and whisk in the grated cheese until it is melted. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and nutmeg.
3. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the stock with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaf. Bring the stock to the boil to reduce to 3–4 tbsp, then stir it into the cheese sauce. When the chicken is cool, cut it into chunks and add to the sauce along with the reserved vegetables. Turn into a deep 1.2-litre pie dish.
4. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface until about 5cm larger all around than the pie dish. Brush the rim of the dish with water and lift the lid onto it, pressing the edge down lightly to seal. Lightly score the top with a sharp knife and brush with beaten egg. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is piping hot and the pastry is well risen and golden brown.

Perfect partner

Long Terrace Chardonnay 2008 - Good honest food deserves a delightful and affordable wine to go with it.

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Breadcrumb-coated baked chicken thighs served with a refreshing, spicy salsa that has a definite kick.

Serves 4

Total time: 45 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

3 tbsp flour
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
90g dried breadcrumbs
8 chicken thigh fillets
3 tbsp vegetable oil
200g canned sweetcorn, drained
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 tbsp lime juice
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 avocado, peeled and diced

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas 6. Mix the flour and cayenne together in a shallow dish. Put the egg in another dish and the breadcrumbs in a third. Dip the chicken thighs first into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs to coat completely.
2. Place the chicken thighs in a roasting tin, drizzle with the oil and cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through, turning once.
3. Meanwhile, to make the salsa, mix the sweetcorn with coriander, lime juice, chilli and avocado. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken thighs hot, with the salsa.

Variation

Serve this with a tomato salsa instead, made by combining 3 chopped tomatoes, ½ red onion, finely chopped, 3 tbsp olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and 1 tbsp chopped coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect partner

Campanula Pinot Noir 2007 - A glass or two of this is heavenly when served with crispy chicken.