In a recent op-ed piece for the Guardian, influential environmentalist George Monbiot gave horrifying details about the appalling conditions of the poultry industry in Britain. Apart from the suffering of the birds, he also detailed the impact these huge factories have on surrounding areas in terms of polluted water and air.

I recall a time when I was a kid in the ’50s when chicken meat was for special occasions. Indeed, hens were bred and raised back then mainly for eggs, and it wasn’t until the Americans came up with the idea of enormous operations to produce broiler chickens that the whole thing became an industry. PIA first brought its Shaver chickens to Pakistan in the ’60s to cater for in-flight meals. Now, of course, chicken meat is the cheapest form of animal protein around.

I tend not to order chicken when I eat out as I immediately think about thousands of birds packed tightly together, and fed all kinds of ghastly chemicals. However, I do cook it at home when I am sure the bird is free range and organically fed. James, my brother-in-law, bought a large farm in Somerset after retiring early as a banker, and here he raises prize-winning Dexter cattle, sheep, chickens and trout. His produce is entirely organic, and therefore pricey, but has a lot of flavour. We get his chickens and smoked trout every now and then, and keep them in the deep freezer.


Treat your body like a temple ... always choose organic meat and take your time cooking meals


The other day, the lady wife pulled a four-pound bird out, and after it had defrosted, cut a couple of bulbs of garlic in two at the equator, and stuffed them in its cavity, together with half a lemon. Juice from the other half was drizzled over the chicken, together with some olive oil, and the breast covered in foil to prevent it from browning too quickly in the oven. An hour later, I took it out to remove the foil and pour some of the accumulated juices in the pan over it to keep it moist. After another hour, I checked to see if it had been done by rotating a thigh: if it moves freely, it’s ready to carve. Or, you can insert a fork into the thigh to check if the juices run clear without a trace of pink.

While the chicken had been cooking, I had quartered some potatoes and boiled them. And as the chicken was resting under foil, I drizzled some olive oil over the potatoes in a pan, threw some rosemary and sea salt in and put the tray in a hot oven. When the thinly sliced chicken was being divided, I put a few cloves of roasted garlic on each plate together with the potatoes. Roast garlic is a delicious little side-dish to eat with a roast.

Talking of roasts, I think slow cooking sinewy cuts of meat is a great way of producing succulent, falling-off-the-bone dishes. We had picked up three lamb shanks (or kunnas) from the weekly market the other day as a treat for my visiting stepdaughter, Josie. After breakfast, I chopped up a couple of shallots and a leek; these are both from the onion family, so you can use it instead. Together with four cloves of chopped garlic, I sautéed them in hot olive oil until they were turning golden, and then browned the lamb shanks in the pan over a high heat.

Earlier, I had dissolved some rich concentrated beef stock; ideally, I should have made some from scratch with bones, but life is too short. Two pints of the stock went into the heavy pan with the lamb, and brought to a boil. And finally, the pan was covered with a tightly fitting lid and placed into the oven at the lowest setting. Here it simmered and bubbled happily for over eight hours. When it emerged just before dinner, the meat was soft and succulent, and could be eaten without a knife. A hunk of fresh sourdough bread was used to soak up the delicious gravy.

Do try slow cooking: it’s one of the best methods there is.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, May 31st, 2015

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