Chef's Recipes

George Calombaris: Kotopoulo tava

Australian Gourmet Traveller Cypriot recipe for kotopoulo tava by George Calombaris.

By George Calombaris
  • 25 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 15 mins cooking
  • Serves 4
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George Calombaris: Kotopoulo tava
“Tava is a traditional Cypriot peasant dish usually made with lamb or mutton. I have changed the recipe slightly and used chicken instead. I think it’s much lighter and is nice even on a hot day.”

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp each cumin and coriander seeds
  • 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 chicken Marylands, halved through the joint
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 cinnamon quill
  • 400 gm (about 4) small Nicola potatoes, thickly sliced
  • 1 lemon, finely grated rind only
  • 200 ml chicken stock
  • 500 gm cherry tomatoes (about 2 punnets)
  • To serve: flat-leaf parsley and sage
  • To serve: crisp green salad

Method

Main
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 180C. Combine cumin and coriander on an oven tray, roast until fragrant (2-3 minutes), cool slightly then coarsely crush in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a casserole over medium-high heat, add chicken in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until sealed and browned (4-5 minutes). Set aside. Add onion, garlic, cinnamon and reserved spices to pan, reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally until onion is soft (4-5 minutes).
  • 3
    Spread potato in an ovenproof dish large enough to hold chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken skin-side up over potato, then scatter with onion mixture, lemon rind and 2 tsp sea salt. Add stock and tomatoes, cover with aluminium foil and roast for 45 minutes. Remove foil, roast until chicken is golden and tender (15-20 minutes), scatter with herbs and serve hot with a crisp green salad.

Notes

This recipe is from the March 2010 issue of .

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