Circassian chicken in walnut sauce (Çerkez tavuğu)

1. Poach the chicken breast with the quartered onion, bay leaf and salt in 1 litre of water for 20-25 minutes, then let it cool in the liquid; strain the stock.

2. Shred the cooled meat into thin strands.

3. Remove the crusts from the bread, soak it in a little stock and squeeze it out.

4. Grind the walnuts, bread and garlic finely in a food processor, adding enough stock to make a thick, creamy sauce; season.

5. Mix half the shredded chicken with half the sauce, pile it onto a platter and coat it with the remaining sauce.

6. Mix the olive oil with the paprika, drizzle it over and serve cold.

Tip: The Circassian legacy in Turkish cooking, a festive cold starter. Toasting a few of the walnuts in a dry pan before grinding gives the sauce a much deeper flavour.