Classic French Recipes | Poulet Basquaise

From a region of France with a unique identity comes an equally unique recipe in the canon of classic dishes. It’s said that this rich and hearty stew evolved from a dish that shepherds hoofed across the Basque hills in clay pots and eventually became a Sunday lunch staple.

One thing is certain: that to get an authentic taste and colour you really should use the smoky kick of piment d’Espelette, a spicy pepper-cum-chilli honoured with a huge festival every year in the town of the same name. If you can’t get hold of this, paprika is fine.

There are many tweaks and tips (including the addition of green olives) for making this recipe your own, but for authenticity’s sake we have checked with the Pays Basque tourism board that this is the “official version”!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

One chicken cut into pieces
1kg tomatoes, peeled and chopped
700g green and red peppers
3 chopped onions
3 crushed garlic cloves
1 slice of Bayonne ham
75g butter
1 glass of white wine
1 bouquet garni
olive oil, salt and piment d’Espelette powder



Heat four tbsp of oil in a casserole dish and sweat down the onions, garlic and sliced peppers. Leave to cook for five minutes.

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut the ham into small pieces and in a separate pan brown off with the chicken in the butter. Season with salt and pepper, then add to the vegetables.

Cover and add the wine and bouquet garni.

Leave to cook for around 35 minutes and serve with rice.

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Thuesday, November, 2nd at 13.25 by Katharine Barrau