Tagliatelle with Chicken and Plums
This dish might sound as if it just wouldn't work, but oddly it does – as long as you like plums. I came across a French recipe using chicken and plums and since there were plenty of cheap plums around, I thought I'd try something along the same lines. It might sound a little complicated, but it's not really and can be prepared largely in advance.
This recipe serves two hungry people, but the size of plums and chicken thighs will vary a lot so you might want to vary the amount of pasta or other ingredients to suit your appetite.
3-4 plums, ripe but preferably still on the firm side
2 medium courgettes, topped and tailed
Zest and juice of 1 small lime
150 g (or thereabouts) tagliatelle – or use whatever pasta you have
Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dried chilli flakes, salt and pepper and maybe a little sugar
Cut the courgettes into thin slices lengthways. Dry these slices out by placing them on silicone sheets on baking trays in an oven heated to 110°C (for a fan oven) for around an hour (the exact time will depend on how thick the slices might be). Don’t worry about some of the slices taking on a bit of colour, but don't let them brown and crisp up too much.
Once dried (or semi-dried, really), fry the slices in a splash of olive oil until they are golden (or maybe a little brown) all over. This won't take long so watch them carefully. Set the courgette slices aside.
Roast the chicken thighs. This will take about half an hour at 180°C, but this time will vary according to size. I like to roast them on a bed of thinly sliced onion with a splash of wine or water. This flavours the chicken and you can then drain and freeze the onion ready for another recipe.
Allow the chicken to cool, then skin the thighs and chop the flesh into small chunks. Discard the skin and bones. Chill the chicken and courgettes until needed.
Cut the plums into 6 or 8 pieces, discarding the stone, of course. Fry the pieces of plum in a little olive oil with a pinch of chilli flakes and some seasoning for around 5 minutes. The pieces should be soft but not falling apart and should have a touch of colour from the frying. If you think the plums are not as sweet as they could be, then add a pinch or two of sugar towards the end of the frying time.
You could pause briefly again at this point, but assuming that you're ready to go, start cooking the tagliatelle in the usual way. Add the lime juice and zest to the plums together with a splash of balsamic vinegar and dollop of olive oil. Once combined, add the chicken and let the mixture warm through.
When it's ready, drain the tagliatelle and toss it together with the chicken and plum mixture. Toss the courgettes into the mixture, adjust the seasoning and serve at once in nicely warmed bowls.
Courgettes prepared in the above way are good with an aperitif, too: just sprinkle with sea salt and maybe some chopped mint and drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar after frying. They can also be used in other pasta dishes with whatever vegetables you have and some pancetta.
This recipe serves two hungry people, but the size of plums and chicken thighs will vary a lot so you might want to vary the amount of pasta or other ingredients to suit your appetite.
3-4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
3-4 plums, ripe but preferably still on the firm side
2 medium courgettes, topped and tailed
Zest and juice of 1 small lime
150 g (or thereabouts) tagliatelle – or use whatever pasta you have
Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dried chilli flakes, salt and pepper and maybe a little sugar
Cut the courgettes into thin slices lengthways. Dry these slices out by placing them on silicone sheets on baking trays in an oven heated to 110°C (for a fan oven) for around an hour (the exact time will depend on how thick the slices might be). Don’t worry about some of the slices taking on a bit of colour, but don't let them brown and crisp up too much.
Once dried (or semi-dried, really), fry the slices in a splash of olive oil until they are golden (or maybe a little brown) all over. This won't take long so watch them carefully. Set the courgette slices aside.
Roast the chicken thighs. This will take about half an hour at 180°C, but this time will vary according to size. I like to roast them on a bed of thinly sliced onion with a splash of wine or water. This flavours the chicken and you can then drain and freeze the onion ready for another recipe.
Allow the chicken to cool, then skin the thighs and chop the flesh into small chunks. Discard the skin and bones. Chill the chicken and courgettes until needed.
Cut the plums into 6 or 8 pieces, discarding the stone, of course. Fry the pieces of plum in a little olive oil with a pinch of chilli flakes and some seasoning for around 5 minutes. The pieces should be soft but not falling apart and should have a touch of colour from the frying. If you think the plums are not as sweet as they could be, then add a pinch or two of sugar towards the end of the frying time.
You could pause briefly again at this point, but assuming that you're ready to go, start cooking the tagliatelle in the usual way. Add the lime juice and zest to the plums together with a splash of balsamic vinegar and dollop of olive oil. Once combined, add the chicken and let the mixture warm through.
When it's ready, drain the tagliatelle and toss it together with the chicken and plum mixture. Toss the courgettes into the mixture, adjust the seasoning and serve at once in nicely warmed bowls.
Courgettes prepared in the above way are good with an aperitif, too: just sprinkle with sea salt and maybe some chopped mint and drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar after frying. They can also be used in other pasta dishes with whatever vegetables you have and some pancetta.
