Pollo a la Espanola - because I'm worth it!

I'm back! I have my metaphorical pen in one hand and an addictive snack (chocolate-covered edemame) in the other, ready to take on the culinary blogging world once again. Let me just flex my writing and cooking muscles, stiff and tight from dormant use...ooooo eeeee...

By the way, the picture on the right was my lunch yesterday - isn't it pretty? Unfortunately, it didn't look that way by the time I transported it to my work and ate it. Nevertheless, it cheered my simple-minded heart to gaze upon, so much so that I had to take this picture. It's called Pollo a la Espanola, which probably means Spanish chicken (how imaginative). The vibrant colours and rustic spirit of the dish are entirely charming - exactly what you need in the middle of the day when work has sucked the very life out of you (well, my work at least...).

The addition of the toasted almond flakes on top were a stroke of genius on my part. They give the dish an interesting edge - good interesting. I love biting through the different textures - succulent chunks of peppers and tomatoes give way to firm pieces of fried pancetta and tender chicken marinated in smokey paprika, delightfully rounded off by the crunchy toasted almond flakes. It gives the mouth a lot to play with.

What inspired this dish? La Chinata smoked paprika powder. I'm one step away from snorting the stuff. It smells unbelievably good - like the smoking embers of wood that have just been used to roast a pig. I bought a little tin of the stuff at Brindisa in Borough Market (of course) but it's available online at www.lachinata.com (which I just discovered gives accompanying recipes much to my excitement and delight!).

Packed lunches need not be boring sandwiches (sorry, sandwich-lovers) or plain old salad. They can be sexy and alluring - the highlight of your day. This is my Loreal lunch - because I'm worth it!

Recipe:

Rub paprika and salt in 4 chicken portions (thighs, drumsticks or both)*. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and gently fry the chicken, skin side down. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a casserole or saucepan and add 150g pancetta cubes. When the pancetta starts to give off fat, add 1 large chopped onion and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, frying very gently until soft. Remove and discard the stalks and seeds from 2 peppers and roughly chop. Add the peppers to the chicken and cook gently. When the onions are soft, stir in 450g chopped tomatoes (canned, fresh or both) and season. Arrange the chicken pieces in the sauce and stir in the cooked peppers. Cover the casserole or saucepan and simmer over a low heat for 15 mins. Check the seasoning and serve topped with fresh parsley and toasted almon flakes.

*It might be that I'm simply not using enough (although, I highly doubt that) but the smokey paprika flavour isn't particularly pungent within the dish. Oh, it's there to be sure, but requires a sharp tongue to expose it. Next time, I will marinate the chicken in the rub overnight, which you might like to try.