Livvie’s I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-chicken stew

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Livvie’s I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-chicken stew
serves 2

This is a bit of a strange one. A chicken stew without the chicken! I was very pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out. Of course if you’d prefer to have the real deal, just switch the tofu for finely sliced chicken thighs.

for the stew:
1 packet frozen spinach
2 onions
2 knobs butter
300g (12oz) firm tofu
1/2 cup whipping cream

1. spinach: Place spinach in a medium saucepan with a splash of water over a high heat.

2. stew: Heat a large pot on a medium high heat. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onions.

3. Add the onions to the pan along with the butter. Cover and cook, stirring every now and then until onions are soft but not browned.

4. Meanwhile, drain the tofu and chop into cubes.

5. When the onion is soft (about 7-8 minutes) add tofu and spinach to the pan along with the cream and 1/4 cup water.

6. Bring to a simmer and cook for a minute or two until the tofu is heated through. Taste and season generously.

prepare ahead?

Absolutely, Just reheat gently over a medium heat.

leftover potential

Will keep in the fridge for a week or so, depending on how fresh the cream was.

variations for fun

carnivore – replace tofu with 500g (1lb) finely sliced chicken thighs. Allow to simmer until the chicken is cooked – will take about 5 minutes depending on how large your pieces are.

fresh – replace frozen spinach with your favourite fresh leafy greens – probably best to chop them before adding to the pan. And asjust the cooking time so the greens are wilted down and tender.

vegan / dairy free – cook the onion in olive oil instead of butter. And add a can of tomatoes instead of the water and cream. You may like to simmer for a little longer to give the tomato a chance to reduce down.

other veggies – feel free to add in whatever veggies you like to have in your stew. Mushrooms would be my first choice of additions.

problem solving guide

bland – this dish needs quite a lot of salt & pepper. So keep going. A splash of lemon juice may add some excitement.

onion crunchy– it’s important to use a medium high heat to get the onions cooked in time. But you’ll need to keep an eye on it so they don’t burn. Keeping the lid on also speeds up the cooking process and retards browning.

too creamy – I love how the spinach cooks into the cream sauce. But if you find it too creamy, try either adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste. Or next time skip the cream and replace with a can of tomatoes are per the vegan suggestion.

serving suggestions

Serve in deep bowls with freshly cracked black pepper.
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