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Mar i muntanya
Chicken and prawn casserole
Mar i muntanya: Empordà chicken and prawn casserole with a chocolate and nut picada
Sea and mountain: the cooks of the Empordà, between the Pyrenees and the Costa Brava, have long put chicken and seafood in one pot, and this version with prawns is the one most families make for a celebration lunch. The sauce is a dark sofrito finished with a picada of almonds, hazelnuts, garlic and a little dark chocolate, which adds depth rather than sweetness. It uses wine; the alcohol-free option is in the ingredient list. Chef's tip: cook the prawns only briefly at the start and return them at the end, so they stay juicy while the chicken braises.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticksbone in, skin on
- 12 large raw prawnsshell on
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 3 ripe tomatoesgrated
- ½ cup dry white winealcohol-free: 125 ml chicken stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 ¼ cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
For the picada
- ⅔ oz blanched almondstoasted
- ½ oz hazelnutstoasted
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ oz dark chocolate (70%)dairy-free if needed
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsleychopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Season 2 ⅝ lb chicken thighs and drumsticks and 12 large raw prawns with 1 tsp salt. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a wide casserole over a high heat and sear the prawns for 1 minute a side, until just pink. Lift them out; they will finish cooking later.
2 minStep 2: Brown the chicken in the same oil, skin-side down first, for 10 minutes, turning, until golden all over. Lift out.
10 minStep 3: Lower the heat, add 2 onions and cook gently for 15 minutes until soft and deep golden. Add 3 ripe tomatoes and cook for 8 minutes into a thick, dark sofrito.
23 minStep 4: Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and bubble for 2 minutes until the smell of alcohol fades. Return the chicken with 1 ¼ cups chicken stock and 1 bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
27 minStep 5: Pound ⅔ oz blanched almonds, ½ oz hazelnuts, 2 cloves garlic, ½ oz dark chocolate (70%) and 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley into a paste with a spoonful of the sauce. Stir it into the casserole.
Step 6: Return the prawns and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the prawns are pink and opaque right through, and the chicken reaches 165°F next to the bone with clear juices. A common mistake is adding the picada too early; the nuts can catch and the sauce goes muddy.
5 minStep 7: Remove the bay leaf and serve with bread or rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does mar i muntanya take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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