Big Boy’s Brunch

Here, at the bottom end of southern hemisphere, autumn is in full swing with morning mists, golden brown vines and red wines preferred over the summer’s whites. While the cooler weather makes me think of soups and stews, I like to cook the odd dish full of summer flavours and recall the warmer days. Paprika, tomatoes and tarragon all work well with chicken and make this a flavoursome dinner to share with friends and family while leafing through pictures of those long summer days.

Chicken with tarragon, paprika and sun-dried tomatoes

5-6 skinless chicken breast fillets
8 tablespoons lemon juice
2 rounded teaspoons paprika
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon
2ozs unsalted butter
12-14 sun-dried tomatoes (in oil)
½ pint double cream
salt, chilli powder
generous bunch rocket leaves to garnish

Slice the chicken breasts thinly across and place them in bowl with lemon juice, paprika, garlic. Chop tarragon and add to bowl. Stir breast slices to coat them evenly with the mixture, then cover and leave to absorb the flavours for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Melt the butter in a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over a low slow heat. Add the chicken mixture and cook gently, stirring now and then, for 8-10 minutes. While the chicken cooks, slice each tomato into 3-4 pieces. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the chicken slices from the pan to a plate and place to one side. Raise the heat under the pan juices for a couple of minutes to reduce them slightly then remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the double cream. Bring the mixture back to the heat and boil stirring for about 2-3 minutes or until it has thickened slightly. Check and season to taste with salt and chilli powder before returning the cooked chicken to the sauce, together with the sun-dried tomatoes. Stir over the heat for another minute then spoon into a shallow pre-warmed serving dish and cover loosely with foil. The dish can be kept warm for up to an hour in a very low oven without spoiling. This can be served in a variety of ways; over tagliatelli or ribbon noodles, alongside moulded saffron rice, in hollowed-out rolls, the list is endless. However, you serve it, sprinkle with torn rocket leaves to add that final peppery touch.