Tender chicken and vegetables in a savory chicken broth

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken thighs (about 700 gm's), diced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 small onion
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 5 tablespoons flour divided
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon sage
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and diced
• 1/2 red pepper finely diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
• 1 cup green beans or peas
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Method:

1. In a large pot brown chicken in 1 tablespoon olive oil (it doesn't have to be cooked through). Remove from pot and set aside. 
2. Cook onion, carrot and celery in remaining olive oil for about 3 minutes or until onion is slightly softened. Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour, seasoning's and salt & pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, sweet potatoes, red pepper, white wine, browned chicken and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
4. Remove lid and stir in green beans and cream. Thicken if desired (below) and simmer an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
5. To thicken: combine remaining 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup water or broth. Shake very well (ensure there are no lumps) and add a little at a time to boiling stew to reach desired consistency.

Amaretto and Cherry Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Base:

• 2½ cups almond meal
• 125g unsalted butter, melted & cooled
• 3 Tbsps brown sugar 
• 1 Tspn cinnamon

Filling:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons boiling water
• 3 teaspoons gelatine powder
• 500g cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 300ml thickened cream, whipped
• 60ml Amaretto liquor

 Topping:

• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 jar Morello cherries
• 3 teaspoons gelatine powder (1 packet gelatine)

Method:

Base:

1. Preheat oven to 180C for convection oven or 160C for fan force oven. Line the bottom of a 20cm spring form pan with baking paper and grease the side of the pan with melted butter. Set aside.
2. Add almond meal, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
3. Press the almond meal crumbs over base and the side of the prepared pan.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

1. Place boiling water in a small bowl and sprinkle over gelatine. Stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly. 
2. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Beat gelatine mixture into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream until combined. Add Amaretto liquor.
3. Spoon mixture over biscuit base. Smooth surface. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until just set.

Topping:

1. Place contents of jar of cherries and sugar in pan and bring to boil.
2. While cherry mixture is cooling bring 1/2 cup water to boil and place in bowl, sprinkle in gelatine and stir well. Set aside for 5 minutes till absorbed.
3. Add cherry and sugar mixture and chill, covered, for an hour.
4. Top chilled cheesecakes with cherry mixture and allow to chill for another hour.