Recipe/Chicken with garlic and fennel

I'll serve this simple dish with green beans and new potatoes, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

1 organic free-range chicken, about 1.4kg, jointed into 8 pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1tsp fennel seeds
1tsp coriander seeds
2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 dried red chilli
1tsp saffron threads
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 fennel bulbs, with outer layer rem
2 x 340g jars (or tins) of good-quality peeled plum tomatoes
Pared zest of 1 orange
3 bay leaves
5 thyme sprigs
1-2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat. When hot, brown the chicken pieces in batches, turning to colour them all over – they should look really golden. Once browned, remove the pieces and set aside. Pour off any excess fat from the casserole, leaving around 1 tbsp or so.

In a separate pan, warm the fennel and coriander seeds until they release their fragrance, then grind finely with a pestle.

Add the onions to the casserole and cook over a low heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Crumble over the chilli and add the ground spices, saffron and garlic. Season with a good pinch of salt and a little pepper, and stir well to combine. Add the fennel bulb, cut into quarters.

Pour in the wine, turn up the heat a little and let bubble and reduce for a minute or so, then add the tomatoes. Return the chicken to the pan and add the orange zest and herbs. Lower the heat and cover. Cook very gently for 40 minutes, until the chicken is just starting to fall off the bone.

Taste and adjust the seasoning; if you’re like me, you’ll want to add a splash of extra-virgin olive oil to bring the whole dish together. Serve with bread to mop up the delicious juices.