It's Nothing Like - Cassoulet

I'm normally a last minute cook, by which I mean that I wait until it's almost time to eat before I decide what to cook. Only once I have decided what takes my fancy do I worry about whether I've got the correct ingredients. Usually I don't have them so I have to improvise. Some of my improvisations are better than others. Thankfully Mrs Chubby Chops rarely complains and Little Miss Chubby Chops can be so fussy that it makes no difference.

This recipe has its roots in Cassoulet and some similarity to one cooked by Jaime Oliver during one of those "a complete meal for four in twenty three seconds" TV programmes.

It's Nothing Like Cassoulet

This makes a great supper dish eaten with some good rustic wholemeal or rye bread.

Ingredients

A couple of skinned chicken breasts

A pinch of cumin powder

A pinch of coriander powder

A pinch of salt

A splash of olive oil

A squeeze of lemon

Some frozen broad beans

A can of cooked foul medammas

A can of tomatoes

Two cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

A brown-skinned onion, peeled and thickly sliced

Two pinches of paprika

Another pinch of salt

A good slug of olive oil

I've used canned chick peas instead of foul medammas and have managed to remember to buy a can of butter beans for the next time that I cook this dish. I'm hoping the use of butter beans will make the dish even better.

Equipment

A heavy bottomed frying/grill pan

A heavy bottomed large sauce pan

Method

Slice the chicken breasts longways so that you end up with slices the size of a thin sausage.

Rub the cumin, coriander, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice ono the chicken pieces and leave to stand for 15 minutes or so. (Less if you're in a big hurry).

In the meantime, sauté the onion and garlic in a good slug of olive oil until they are soft.

Add the canned tomatoes (I prefer to liquidise them first), the broad beans, and drained canned beans. Season with salt and paprika. Then bring to the boil and leave to simmer.

Heat the dry frying/grill pan to a high temperature and quickly cook the chicken strips so that they are cooked through, crisp on the outside but still moist inside. I usually cook them for about 5 to 7 minutes and never more than 10 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, leave it to stand for a few minutes. Then add it to the tomato and beans for a few minutes.

The dish is now ready to serve.