Make often, period.

Or less often, because it’s SO GOBSMACKING it might lose something when tasted too often?

This is wonderfulness in the good, I’m-full-and-don’t-need-anymore-because-it-was-so-satisfying-and-great-way. Need I say more?

This is going in my … repertoire. What exactly? My make-when-desperately-craving-something-perfect-but-can’t-think-of-anything-else-not-extremely-fattening-repertoire, maybe? My need-some-complex-flavours-to-satisfy-upper-gourmet-level-taste-repertoire? My will-impress-certain-important-people-with-said-gourmet-taste-repertoire. Yes. Somewhere along all those lines.

Chicken, roasted carrots and chocolate mole
adapted from Jamie Oliver

Serves 6 – 8

for the chocolate mole
5 large dried red chiles
olive oil
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 heaped teaspoons sesame seeds
400 g can diced tomatoes
2 heaped teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100 g good-quality bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped coarsely
red wine vinegar

Put your dried chiles into a bowl and cover them with 3½ cups of boiling water. Let them soak in this for about 10 to 15 minutes, so they soften and start to release their incredible flavors. Get a large saucepan on a medium heat and add a good lug of olive oil, your onions, sliced garlic, soaked chiles (make sure you save their water), cumin, and ground cinnamon. Slowly cook everything for 15 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and sweetened. Stir in the sesame seeds and canned tomatoes, then fill the empty can with some of the water you soaked your chiles in and add this too. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 5 minutes. Add your cocoa powder and a good pinch of salt and pepper, stir really well, and cook for another 5 minutes. At this point, add the chunks of chocolate and stir them in gently until melted, then pour the sauce into a food processor or liquidizer (you may need to do this in batches). Pop on the lid, cover with a dish towel, and liquidize for a few minutes. Take the lid off and have a taste. This is where you get the seasoning exactly right, so add a slug of red wine vinegar for that hint of acidity and a pinch more salt and pepper if need be. You want the sauce to have a fairly loose consistency, so add another splash of chile water if it looks too thick. When it’s lovely and smooth, pour it into a bowl, cover it with aluminum foil, and set it into a large saucepan with a couple of inches of simmering water to keep it warm until your chicken is ready.

Before serving, you can mount the sauce with a splash of heavy cream and a few small pieces (about 1 tablespoon) of cold butter. This gives it a nice shine and tones down the heat of the chiles a bit ;) (Be careful not to boil the sauce afterwards anymore!)

for the roasted carrots
12 (?) large carrots (I think I used around 4 for two people, and the baking tray was 2/3 full, so you might need to do it in batches)
olive oil
honey, molasses or whatever you have on hand that’s sweet and syrupy
sea salt

Preheat the oven on grill. Wash and scrub the carrots well; there’s no need to peel them. Chop off the ends and slice into 1-1.5 inch pieces. Drizzle a baking tray with olive oil and arrange the chopped carrots on it, coating them in the oil. Drizzle with honey, and sprinkle with salt. Stick in the oven and bake on top level, as close as possible to the grill coils, for 5-7 minutes or until the carrot slices are caramelized, a nice deep golden brown on the edges. (Thanks, Nicky.) Turn off the oven and leave the carrots inside to keep them warm until ready to serve.

for the chicken
4 onions, peeled and quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled
olive oil
2-3 tbsps butter
4 – 5 lbs chicken breast and drumsticks
6 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
freshly ground black pepper
about 2/3 cup white wine
sea salt

Finely slice onions and garlic. Heat a generous amount of olive oil – 3 tablespoons at least, but you can always add more later – with the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and sauté lightly. Now add the chicken, bay leaves, cinnamon and lots of pepper. Brown the chicken lightly on both sides, pour the wine in, cover and let some magic happen for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and add more olive oil if needed. If the onions are sticking to the pan, add a tiny splash of water, but make sure all the excess evaporates.

When ready to serve, insert a knife into one of the breasts, it should be just cooked through. Arrange the chicken on plates with the golden brown onions and carrots. Dunk on a bunch of the mole sauce, serve with a green salad and/or rice and/or flatbread and forget everything you still need to do today until all the delicousness is gone.