Pepe chicken recipe by Maria Bradford

There are 54 beautiful countries in Africa and one thing they all have in common is African culture, says Maria Bradford. We are party people, with a love of celebrations that combine food, fashion, music and dance.

In my view, no party is complete without pepe chicken. Street vendors in Freetown grill this over hot charcoal throughout the night and it is perfect pre- or post-club. Grains of paradise and cubeb pepper are available from specialist stores, or online, as are West African pepper blends. Serves six to eight.

Ingredients

• 10 – 12 chicken thighs

For the marinade

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• 2 large onions (about 450g)
• 20g garlic (about 5 cloves)
• 25g fresh ginger
• 50ml lemon juice
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp West African pepper blend (see below)
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 200g unsalted peanut butter (use one without palm oil)
• 30g tomato purée
• 130g fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 1 medium tomato)
• 1 stock cube (use one without MSG) dissolved in 300ml (plus 1 tbsp) hot water or 300ml (plus 1 tbsp) chicken, beef, fish or vegetable stock
• 2-3 scotch bonnet chillies, seeds left in, to taste

Method

• For the pepe marinade, put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth and well combined. Transfer to a saucepan and cook on medium heat for 10-15 mins, stirring from time to time to prevent sticking, until the marinade has reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the marinade cool.
• Put the chicken thighs in a large glass or ceramic bowl, pour over half the marinade (you can freeze the rest or keep it for up to 1 week covered in the fridge) and massage it well into the chicken. Cover and set aside to marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in a baking tin. Roast for 35-40 mins, basting occasionally, until cooked through (they are ready when the juices run clear when pierced in the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer).

Note: In the warmer months, the thighs can be cooked on the barbecue. Baste them regularly and turn them frequently until they are cooked through, as above.

West African pepper blend: this aromatic and spicy blend is at the heart of many of my dishes. Use 2½ tsp of grains of paradise, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 2 tbsp white peppercorns, 1 tbsp cubeb pepper, 3 tbsp allspice berries.

• Toast all the peppercorns in a dry pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool then grind in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
• Store in an airtight jar. It will stay fresh for up to three months.

Taken from “Sweet Salone: Recipes from the Heart of Sierra Leone” by Maria Bradford, published by Quadrille at £30. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £23.99 (incl. p&p), visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

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