Keith Floyd

Chicken Stew with Mealie

Serves 4

Vegetable oil
1 large chicken, jointed, or several drumsticks
4 onions, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 potatoes, skin left on, cut into chunks
5 carrots, cut into chunks
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4½ cups light beer
1 large bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt to taste
5 baby squash, halved
¼ pound mushrooms, halved
1/3 pound French green beans, halved
Cayenne pepper

For the Mealie
½ pound spinach
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Aromat seasoning
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1/3 pound mealie meal (maize flour, available from health food stores)

Heat some oil in a pan and fry the chicken, turning frequently, for 20-25 minutes. When almost cooked, remove from the pan and reserve. Put the onions and garlic into the pan and cook gently for a few minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, add the potatoes, carrots and bay leaves, peppercorns, beer and half the parsley, season with salt, then simmer for 20 minutes. Add the squash, mushrooms and French beans and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the mealie. Put the spinach in a pan with 1¼ cups of water and simmer for a few minutes until cooked. Add the oil, Aromat, salt and cayenne pepper. Allow to cool slightly, then add the mealie and stir well to stop it going lumpy. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 3 minutes. Stir well, cover again and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the rest of the parsley over the chicken and dust with cayenne pepper. Serve with the mealie.