from "Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons" by Diana Henry
The plum accompaniment is a version of "skemalt", a thick, sweet, dark crimson sauce, which apparently separated good Georgian cooks from great ones! Sometimes it is made with just plums, leaving out the prunes. It would be good with fried chicken, grilled mackerel or lamb kebabs and keeps in the fridge for about 1 month.
Ingredients
250 ml natural yogurt (not greek)
4 crushed garlic cloves
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder
salt and pepper
8 chicken thighs, skin on
Plum Sauce
400g plums
100g prunes
40g dark soft brown sugar
40ml red wine vinegar
40ml water
1/2 tsp cayenne or chilli powder
2 crushed garlic cloves
chopped herbs: coriander, dill, mint
a squeeze of lemon juice
Mix yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, spices and seasoning together to make a marinade. Put the chicken into this, cover and leave to marinate for 2 hours or overnight if possible, turning a couple of times.
Halve the plums and prunes and put into a pan. Add the remaining sauce ingredients except the herbs and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.
Puree the sauce and add most of the herbs. Check the seasoning, add salt or lemon juice to taste.
Take the chicken out of the marinade and grill on each side, on high heat at first then lower to ensure the chicken is cooked through. I cooked the chicken in the oven in a roasting tin. Gas 6-7, 200'C for approx 40 mins, turning halfway through.
Warm the sauce, sprinkle on the remaining herbs and serve with the chicken.
Mine is served with sliced new potatoes, cooked in stock, lemon juice and olive oil. Cooked in the oven with the chicken. Covered at first then uncovered so that they go brown and crispy on the top.
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