Mustard With Mutton

This baked chicken dish from David Lebovitz is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts.  You would never guess from the short ingredient list that the finished dish could be so tasty and complex and for such little effort.   In 45 minutes dinner is on the table and better still there’s only one dish to wash up.  According to David, soy sauce is an often used ingredient in French cooking.  I’ve even heard it said that the secret ingredient to those salad dressings one eats in Paris but can never quite recreate at home is soy sauce – who knew!

Ingredients – Serves 4  Adapted from David Lebovitz

8-10 chicken pieces (I used thigh cutlets)
4 large shallots (eschallots), peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 220C.  Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place them in a roasting or baking dish that will hold them snuggly in one layer.  In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Pour the mixture over the chicken and add the shallots.  Using your hands mix the chicken pieces and the sauce together.

                         

Spread them evenly in the pan, skin side up and bake for 20 minutes.  Turn the chicken pieces over basting them in the sauce and cook for 10 minutes skin side down.  After 10 minutes turn them skin side up again and cook for a further 10 minutes until the skin is golden brown. There will be quite a bit of fat in the bottom of the pan and this needs to be skimmed off before serving.