Durban - One-pot dishes may not always be the most attractive meals to serve to guests, but when feeding a large number, practicality trumps aesthetics.
Choose the most attractive ovenproof casserole you have to prepare the dish in or, if your serving dish is not ovenproof, transfer it from the preparation pot to an attractive dish before serving.
If you feel cooking with sparkling wine too expensive, the quantity can be replaced with a good white wine or even white grape juice.
The sausages in the casserole can also be varied according to preference.
I used herb flavoured pork sausages but they can be replaced with beef, plain pork bangers or even chicken sausages.
SPARKLING WINE CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Serves 8
12-14 chicken pieces
salt and pepper
30ml olive oil
5 red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1 onion, finely chopped
15ml fresh thyme leaves
750ml bottle of sparkling wine
200g baby rainbow carrots
250ml peas
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole and brown the chicken skin-side down until crispy, about 5 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
Add the potatoes and cook on a high heat until golden, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the onion and thyme and fry for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the sparkling wine and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken and the carrots to the potatoes and cook in a preheated oven at 200°C for 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Stir in the peas, return to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Remove and serve.
SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLE CASSEROLE
Serves 6
3 medium sweet potatoes
9 baby turnips
2 red onions, cut in wedges
3 cloves of garlic, cut in half
30ml olive oil
salt and pepper
2 x 500g pork sausages
250ml chicken stock
15ml red wine vinegar
200g spinach, chopped
400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Heat the oven to 200°C. In a large roasting pan, combine the sweet potatoes, turnips, red onion, garlic and olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and place sausages on top of the vegetables.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and stir in the chicken stock, red wine vinegar, spinach and beans. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 minutes.
Sunday Tribune