Poulet à la Créole
serves six
This is an addictive hot-weather curry from Haïti. Serve it with rice, braised spinach and a simple salad of tomato and cucumber with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar.
3- to 4-lb roasting chicken, cut into serving pieces
unbleached white flour
6T extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium yellow onions
2t curry powder
1/4t powdered saffron
2 fresh hot peppers—such as cayenne, serrano or jalapeño—seeded and finely chopped
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
2c coconut milk
Season the chicken pieces and dredge them in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Drain the chicken and transfer the pieces to a heavy-bottomed stockpot or Dutch oven, cover and keep warm.
In the remaining oil sauté the onion until clear, add the curry, saffron and hot pepper, and cook until the onion and pepper are very soft. Deglaze with a couple of tablespoons of water. When the water has all but disappeared, add the coconut milk. Mix well and pour over the chicken.
Cover the chicken and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, boil the rice, braise the spinach and assemble the salad.
This meal is perfect for a slightly fruity wine such as Vouvray or Chenin Blanc served very cold.
Copyright 2009 Martine Torres-Apónte de Pèlegrin
