Poulet basquaise

Brown the chopped chicken wings in a tablespoon of peanut oil on very high heat until they are properly brown, not blonde, turning only once.

Add garlic, half a carrot and half an onion and cook five minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook it briefly.

Add half a litre of chicken stock. A small volume reduces and concentrates fast.

Add the bouquet garni, or thyme and one bay leaf. Cover and simmer thirty minutes, then pass through a sieve. Never salt a stock.

Dice the prosciutto, cover it with cold water, bring to the boil, then drain and rinse it in a sieve.

On low heat, stir the blanched prosciutto in two tablespoons of olive oil for a minute so the flavour transfers to the oil.

Add the onions and cook a few minutes, then the garlic and bell peppers for one or two minutes.

Add the cherry tomatoes and break them up. Lid on, very low heat, simmer 15 to 20 minutes until most of the liquid has gone.

Preheat the oven to 396F or 200C. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and brown them skin side first in a cast iron pan, then turn.

Finish the chicken in the oven, lid on, for ten minutes only -- it cooks a further five minutes in the sauce later.

Reserve the chicken on a tray and pour off some of the excess fat.

On medium-high heat, caramelise the meat juices in the pan until the brown residue appears but does not burn.

Deglaze with half a glass of white wine, whisking everything off the base, and reduce about five minutes until almost gone.

Add the stock and reduce about three minutes to a napping consistency: it leaves a clear trace when a finger is drawn down the back of a spoon.

Add the confit vegetables, return the chicken and finish it gently.

Serve bodega style, small plate, generous sauce over the top, a little rice alongside.