Chicken, chocolate and Merlot casserole with potato and cauliflower mash

For the casserole: preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan.

Cut the skin all the way around each drumstick (2 packs) just below the joint. Heat the vegetable oil (1 tbsp) over a high heat In a heavy large pan and brown the chicken all over. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Discard half of the fat left in the pan and return to a medium-high heat. Add the onions (2), garlic (4 cloves), thyme (4 sprigs), and rosemary (2 sprigs), cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the fennel (1/4 tsp), cumin (1/4 tsp) and coriander seeds (1/4 tsp), star anise (2), cocoa (1/2 tsp), honey (1 tsp), flour (1 tbsp), smoked paprika (1/4 tsp), some salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for a few more minutes.

Pour in the wine (150 ml) and chicken stock (200 ml) and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms (2) and chicken and cook in the oven for 20 minutes, uncovered, untul the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, slice the sweet potatoes (1) with a mandolin into fine slices lengthways. Line a dinner plate with the sweet potato slices, then cover with kitchen paper. Cook in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Continue to microwave in 30 second increments, until crispy.

For the mash: Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and another with the almond milk (1 L). Bring both to the boil. Add the potatoes (600 g) to the water and the cauliflower (1 head) and leaves to the milk. Cook until tender then drain both, setting aside a little of the almond milk and a few leaves for garnish.

Place the potatoes and cauliflower, setting aside a few florets for garnish, in a large bowl with the garlic (1 clove), honey (as needed), olive oil (2 tbsp). Season.

Pass the potatoes and cauliflower through the ricer and mix together. Stir in the butter (80 g) and loosen with the reserved almond milk if necessary.

To serve, spoon the mash into the centre of a shallow platter or individual plates. Top with a few chicken drumsticks and drizzle the sauce around the mash. Finish with the sweet potato crisps, blanched cauliflower leaves, reserved florets and carrot tops. Drizzle with a flourish of olive oil.