Hope your chicken was muito bom!

Driven through quite a few times, but only visited there once. I lived in Albufeira for 10 years... sunny Algarve. Got to go now, but will look out for you on here tomorrow... thanx everyone for the useful tips.

I'm crap at writing in Portuguese!

Lived in Lsibon 4 years. have you ever been? (I assume so if your daughter was born in Portimao?)

Ahhhh!!!! tu esta na englaterra agora? Eu esta aqui em Afrika de Sul.... Minha filha e portuguese (nascer em Portimao). Desculpa mas meu Portuguese nao muito bem... . Finalment - uma amiga portuguesa!

eu sabia! O teu nome deu me a idea.

o meu pai é Portugues.

Um bocadinho oregonianabroad porque?

Browning the chicken first just adds to time taken and the colour. Doesn't always add to the taste if you don't want to do it.

Just the worcestor sauce and even then I would do it without too. Just did mini turnips with w. sauce on last week and I never knew how nice it was!

ooh but you need to brown the drumsticks first (sorry ) or the whole thing'll be really pale and insipid.

nickinha, (thread hijack, bizarre question) do you speak Portuguese?

Notdoingthehousework - that sounds just as good. All collectors items these...

Notabanana - would you add any liquid (like water/wine) or would you just add the worcester sauce?

Thanx CountessDracula!!! Sounds yummy, have they published a Mumsnet recipe cookbook yet? Everyone gives such great ideas...

Braised Chicken: put the drumsticks, onion and carrot in a pot with a good slosh of wine and top up with water, you don't want to cover it all though. Cook on a slow heat for an hour and half or so.

Have you got some thyme and parsley? Whack that in as well with plenty of salt and pepper.

Bake the potatoes and serve with it.

Erm, tomatoes too, you could grill/fry them and have on the side.

feck, that's made me hungry.

I would roast it all in the same dish in the oven with some worcester sauce and garlic.

oh and if you are putting tomatoes in leave then add some garlic with the onions & carrots

brown chicken and remove

dice onion and carrot (and celery if you have) and fry gently for 5 mins til soft (not brown).

Add a tbsp of plain flour and cook for a couple of mins

Then 500 ml chickn stock or half and half with red or white wine

Chuck in herbs (oregano, basil for eg)

And diced tomatoes if you want a tomatoey thing

Season

Add back in the chicken

If you want a one pot thing then slice the spuds and layer on teh top or just do mash

Personally I'd nip to the shop and get some chicken bisto & oxo, but I'm lazy

Chicken Drumsticks
Tomato
Onion
Carrot
potato

Please advise mumsnetters... How can I get a lovely gravy to go with those ingredients (kind of like a hot-pot).

Thank you