Quarter chicken in a red wine marinade and spicy potato wedges

Comfort food takes a luxury turn when you invest it with the nobility of Nederburg Baronne.

This Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend that includes a good dollop of spicy Shiraz, lets you elevate a humble daily dish into a royal serving. It’s the hero of the sauce that’s spiced with tomato and chipotle and served with Cajun-roasted potatoes. And, best of all, you get to extend the pleasure with a glass of the same wine when the food comes to the table. A pairing like this will have your guests drumming their forks and glasses for more.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

MARINADE
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup Nederburg Baronne
1 tsp chipotle chilli spice (or smoked paprika)
2 sprigs rosemary
salt and pepper

POTATO OR SWEET POTATO WEDGES*
4 chicken quarters
4 medium potatoes or sweet potatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 whole cloves garlic
2 tsp Cajun spice mix
salt and pepper

*For the potato wedges, either follow the steps in this recipe, or use store-bought wedges and follow the instructions on the packaging.

METHOD

For the marinade, cook the finely chopped onion in the oil over a medium to low heat for about 8 minutes or until soft. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Blend the sauce until smooth and leave to cool. This sauce can last in the fridge for about a week.

There are two ways that you can cook the chicken – you can either marinade the chicken in the sauce overnight, or just baste the chicken with the sauce as it cooks (this is for when you are strapped for time). Marinating the chicken overnight will deliver the best results, as the flavour from the marinade really permeates the chicken. You can also either roast the chicken in the oven, or cook it over medium coals on an open fire.

To cook the chicken and wedges in the oven, preheat it to 200°C.

For the chicken, line a baking tray with foil, add the chicken and the marinade and roast for 40 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked). Baste the chicken every 10 minutes. If the marinade hasn’t charred enough, you can pop the grill on for the last 5-10 minutes (just keep an eye on it).

When cooking the chicken on a fire, make sure you have low to medium coals that will last for 40 minutes. The marinade burns easily so keep the chicken over a medium heat and not too close to the coals.

For the potato wedges, parboil the potatoes by starting them covered in cold water. As soon as the water comes to the boil, set a timer for 10 minutes. Check the potatoes after 10 minutes by pricking them with a knife – if you can stick the knife through the potatoes without resistance, they are ready to be carefully drained and set aside. If not, cook the potatoes for another 5 minutes or so. Keep a close eye on them, as to avoid them from falling apart.

After draining the potatoes, leave them to steam dry in a colander for a couple of minutes. Carefully toss the parboiled wedges in olive oil, garlic, cayenne spice mix, and salt and pepper. Next, line a large baking sheet with foil and spread the wedges out in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes – or until crispy and golden – and toss them at the 15 minute mark.

Serve the chicken and potato wedges with a salad and a creamy dipping sauce for the wedges. Savour with a glass of Nederburg Baronne.