One of the dishes I learned to cook with chef Sebastian Barcelo at the Illa d’Or in Majorca was for chicken breast stuffed with dried figs soaked in anis liqueur, and sobrasada, the soft local sausage coloured with pimenton.

This is an excellent recipe for now. Dried fruit is plentiful as is local anise liqueur and the recipe adapts perfectly to duck, turkey or, especially, pheasant. Maltese black pudding or chorizo, skinned and chopped or minced is an excellent substitute for sobrasada.

(Serves six)

6 chicken breasts, with bones to make stock
75 ml anis liqueur, or spirit
200 g dried figs, stalks removed, and cut into quarters
100 g lard or extra virgin olive oil
1 large mild onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 or 3 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
250 g Maltese black pudding or chorizo
6 large chard or cabbage leaves
Flour
Salt
Pepper
150 ml dry amontillado or oloroso sherry
1 bay leaf

Chop the carcasses and put in a saucepan of water. Bring to the boil. Skim the foam from the surface and simmer for two hours. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan and reduce until you have about 500 ml stock. You can prepare this the day before, as you can with the figs.

Put half of the figs in a bowl, cover with the anis, and leave to macerate for six hours. Re-move from the liqueur and dry the figs.

When ready to prepare the dish, which should not take much more than 40 minutes, melt the lard, and in it gently cook the onions until soft and golden. To cut down on the fat, which is, nevertheless, important for the authentic flavour of the dish, use only 25 g and a non-stick frying pan. Add the figs, parsley and garlic, and once the onion is soft, add 200 g crumbled black pudding or diced chorizo and mix well.

Make a pocket in the chicken breasts, and fill with the mixture. Wrap in cabbage leaves and tie with thread. Dust with flour and fry on all sides. Season and place in a shallow earthenware casserole dish.

Pour in the sherry and the stock, and add the bay leaf. Tuck in the rest of the figs and black pudding or chorizo and cook in the oven at 180˚C, gas mark 4 for about 20 to 25 minutes.