MAYAZ'S CHICKEN AND BASIL ROAST..

Few days back I was on the phone with an old friend, who's visiting Switzerland for a few months. The chicken that she was getting there was with it's skin on and she was unsure of how to cook it so she was spending hours skinning it. As I've lived a good part of my life in the U.A.E I've always had chicken curries and chicken roasts with its skin on and really miss it sometimes. I find the skin has most flavour in it and also makes the chicken meat more moist. I told her I would put up a special recipe for her and here I am writing it.
I found this recipe in a book that I've had for ages now, but as I love to experiment this recipe is quite different from the original recipe in the book just the idea is same, also some ingredients are a bit different then the original recipe. This book is called quick and easy cookery and it has inspired me to create my own recipes for almost ten to twelve years, found this book in an exhibition outside Karachi Marriott hotel where one can get big original books for a pound or two and if you know the bargaining skills well you can perhaps get it for even cheaper than that.
This dish is a good blend of Mediterranean and western baked dishes. It's also a good dish prepare in advance if you're making this for friends comming over and do the final stage just 2 hours before you have to serve roughly. I always make this dish and freeze it a day or two before the party this helps one being calm for the day and you can enjoy getting ready for the get together, also helps in giving the lady of the house to do the final touches for the dining table or setting the room up with last minute touches. when planning a party of 4 or 8 people its OK not to prepare this in advance but if there are more people comming than it becomes very chaotic because its not only the main dish to prepare for the evening, you of course have the appetizers,and deserts to deal with specially if they are the individual serving kinds, again my advice would be to do one big serving that saves you from panicking at last minute.
I love people having my food but also the fact that it gives them comfort inspires me more. For me when hosting a party of as little as two people or as many as fifty people they should all feel that they are special and that they are ,at home. I like to add up simple touches to the table, there are no rules to it just have a focal point and color on your table that would enhance all your dishes and that's the trick to setting the table well. enjoy your party and food in good health..:)

INGREDIENTS:-

• Bunch of fresh basil preferably other wise 1-2 tsp dried
• 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2Tbsp Butter
• 1 Whole Chicken quartered (4 pieces)
• 2 medium onions
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 green bell pepper in big cubes or slices
• 1 red bell pepper or yellow cut in big cubes or slices
• 2 cups mushrooms sliced
• 1 1/2 cans of chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup olives or as many as you like ( I used the green olives but you can try any olives it tastes equally good with other types too)
• 1 tub double cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• flat leaf parsley

METHOD:-

1. Pre-heat the oven at 350 F
2. Heat butter and oil in a heavy based pan.
3. Add the chicken pieces and fry until brown all over.
4. Remove from pan and leave aside.
5. In the same pan add onions and garlic,fry till the onion softens then add the bell peppers and half the mushrooms, cook for 2-3 minutes.




6. Add tomatoes,basil , olives and season to taste with salt and pepper.




7. In a baking tray layer olives and half of the mushrooms saved earlier.
8. Layer the chicken on top of this and cover with the onions and vegetables mix.
9. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 50Min's
10. Once you feel the chicken is done add the cream to the baking dish.
11. Return the dish to oven and bake another 10-15 Min's.

This is a great eaten with samoli buns or rather well known as hot dog buns. But since this dish is originally an Italian dish its eaten with plain boiled pasta. I've tried this roast with plain boiled rice too and that also is a nice option. This recipe is certainly not for those on a diet has loads of calories yet you can either single cream or anything that has less calories to it or you can eat it without add the cream at all. In my case I like to eat everything in moderation because that's the key to life for me and once in a while it's not bad to have something with so many calories or cream in it. In the end hoping that when you make it you enjoy this with your family and friends with all the comfort in the world.enjoy..:)