I make - Greek chicken stew with cauliflower and olives

This is the first wow dish of 2017 to celebrate a very deserving day in 2017.

Greek chicken stew with cauliflower and olives (adapted from New York Times)

- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 to 8 chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
- 2 tablespoons cider/red wine vinegar
- 2 medium sized red onions, chopped
- 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 70 g tomato paste (or use another can of tomatoes)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup of stock (skipped if using two cans of tomatoes)
- 1 small or 1/2 large cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
- 100-140 g of pitted green olives (or mixed with black)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 to 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep, heavy lidded skillet or casserole and brown the chicken, skin side down for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, season the flesh side facing up with salt and pepper. Flip the chicken to the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove the pieces to a plate or bowl as they’re golden browned. Pour off the fat from the pan. Add the vinegar to the pan and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat up to reduce the vinegar to roughly 1 teaspoon.

Add the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover and let the onion cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is lightly browned and very soft.

Add the garlic and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant. If a brown crust starts to develop at the bottom of the pan, deglaze it with a little bit of water and boil off the liquid quickly. Then add the tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes and the canned tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour in one cup of stock and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is reduced slightly and fragrant.

Return the chicken pieces to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl. If necessary, add enough water to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

In the meantime, blanch the cauliflower pieces in lightly salted water for 3 minutes. Drained and set aside.

Add the cauliflower and olives and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the chicken is just about falling off the bone. Stir in the parsley, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with grains (couscous is great), with the feta sprinkled on top if desired.