Eggplant stew with chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 large eggplants
• 3 chicken legs
• 3 stalk(s) Celery
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2 onions
• 8 cloves garlic, fresh
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (800 g)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 1 bunch of parsley

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Cajun

Slice the eggplants and quarter them. Fry in a little oil in a pan, stirring until the pieces are nicely browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Finely dice the onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Cut the celery into even slices. Heat the oil in the pan, add the onion, garlic, and celery, and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until softened. Then add all the spices and simmer for a while longer, stirring. Add the reserved eggplants and simmer for about 5 more minutes, stirring. Slice the leek and roughly dice the bell pepper. Add both to the pan along with the remaining whole garlic cloves and continue to simmer until everything has softened slightly. Then add the tomatoes and stir everything well. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and cover with the vegetables. Simmer over low heat with the lid closed for about 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, the vegetables will have released their liquid. Remove the chicken thighs. Remove the skin and remove the meat from the bones. Set aside. Remove about a quarter to a third of the vegetables from the pot. Purée the rest with a hand blender. Return the reserved vegetables and the chicken to the pot. Mix everything together and keep warm. The dish now has a creamy consistency with soft-cooked pieces of meat and vegetables. Season to taste; depending on the amount of each vegetable, you may need some salt, pepper, and cumin. A pinch of cinnamon and a little sugar round out the flavor. Just before serving, chop plenty of fresh parsley and stir in. The garlic may seem a bit excessive, but fresh garlic and whole cloves aren’t that intense. In general, it’s better to be a little careful with the spices. You can always add more seasoning. Serve with fresh white bread and a light white wine, such as a young Lugana.