Chicken thighs with mushrooms (Spanish style of course)

After empanada for 3 consecutive meals, it was time for change!

This dish is basically pollo al ajillo with mushrooms. The addition of some other solid ingredients makes it a very low maintenance version, especially as chicken thighs stay nice and moist when slow cooked.

You'll need:

• Chicken thighs
• Garlic (at least 3 cloves per person)
• Bay leaves (as many as you like)
• Dry oloroso or palo cortado sherry, or white wine and some solera brandy
• Mushrooms - something a bit meaty and nutty, like chestnut.

Then do this:

1. Season the meat very well.
2. Preheat over to 160
3. Put a heavy, enamel casserole on a medium high heat
4. When hot, add lots of olive oil and fry the thighs skin side down till nice and brown
5. Flip the thighs on to the meat side and add chopped garlic. Cook until the garlic is mid-brown and nutty.
6. Add sliced mushrooms and cook till they're just about done.
7. Deglaze with some booze (be generous), boil off alcohol.
8. Throw in the bay leaves, top up with a little water (liquid depth about 2cm), put on the lid then put in oven for at least 90mins.
9. It will reduce a bit - you'll have to judge if you want to reduce it further once you've removed the meat (and perhaps make it a bit more cheffy by adding a splash of cream).

It's really nice with lightly spiced rice. I'd post a photo, but I never have the presence of mind to take one when there's food to be eaten!