Poulet Mafé

Seriously, who doesn't love a good tomato and peanut butter savory sauce? I adapted this chicken in tomato and peanut butter sauce from an article in yet another copy of Food & Wine that mysteriously shows up in my mailbox. Time to install a mailbox cam to find the perpetrator 😂. Just Kidding. We all know it's Judy! And I can't thank her enough given all the enjoyment and inspiration I find in the articles and recipes. I am just about to order an Australian Finger Lime Tree and a case of Domaine Tempier Bandol wine, and that's just from the January Issue!

So, back to the Poulet Mafé, apparently chefs are traveling to monasteries around the world doing a little soul searching AND culinary research. This recipe come from the Benedictine monastery of Keur Moussa, just east of Dakar. The monks incorporate the Senegalese principle of Teranga to everything they do, which basically places an emphasis on hospitality and always offering the best of what they have. This dish certainly ticks all the right boxes for simple, flavourful, rich and creamy (without the dairy!) comfort food.

I adapted the recipe by halving it and using pre-cooked chicken thighs and drumsticks (from a chicken we spatchcocked and roasted earlier in the week), I skipped the sweet potato (even though we had some), I used half of the prescribed fish sauce and I think one could skip it altogether, and I used jalapeños instead of scotch bonnets. We served it with broccoli rabe, and skipped the rice, but one could also serve with Kamut Wheat, black rice or pasta or.....