Chicken in Red Wine, with Mushrooms, Bacon, and Pearl Onions
— Serves 4
A quintessential French braise, with a luxurious, richly concentrated red wine sauce. Don’t be tempted to substitute canned or frozen pearl onions — made with fresh, the dish is incomparable. Serve with Pommes Noisettes*.
*Items marked in green are available from The Gourmet Corner.
Suggested wine pairing: Samur Réserve des Vignerons 2007
Roasted Mushroom Ingredients
Other Ingredients
cup)
Roasting the Mushrooms
Preheat oven to 325 °F.
In a large nonstick, ovenproof skillet, combine the mushrooms, thyme, shallot, garlic and juniper berry. Combine white wine and olive oil and pour over the mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and roast for 30 minutes.
Holding the mushrooms in the pan with a spatula, drain the mushroom juices into a measuring cup and set aside. Increase the heat to 450 °F and roast the mushrooms uncovered for 10-15 minutes longer, until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside. Add enough chicken stock to the mushroom liquid to make 1 1/2 cups.
While the mushrooms are roasting, cut the pointed tips off the pearl onions. Bring a small pan of water to boil, drop the onions in and cook for 2 minutes, then drain. Place onions in a large bowl of cold water until they are cool, then drain. Peel the onions, trimming off the stem ends. Set aside.
Prepare the Braise
Cook the bacon in a small skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat.
Sprinkle the flour on a dinner plate. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with about 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Roll the pieces in the flour to coat evenly and tap off the excess.
Place 2 tsp bacon fat in a large, heavy, well-seasoned skillet and heat over moderate heat until hot. Sauté the chicken in batches,
using additional bacon fat as necessary, until golden — about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a platter.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chopped shallots plus another 1 tsp bacon fat to the pan. Cook covered, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium, and sauté the shallots until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly until it begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Add the port and Madeira and boil for 1 minute, stirring up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the red wine and cook for 5 minutes longer, or until slightly reduced. Stir in the mushroom broth, the thyme and remaining salt. Add the reserved bacon, pearl onions, chicken legs and thighs.
Partially cover and cook for 7 minutes. Add the breasts and wings, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
Simmer the sauce until it is slightly thickened and the flavors are rich and mellow, about 10 minutes. Stir in the roasted mushrooms during the last 5 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, add the cognac and cook for 30 seconds. Adjust the seasoning, adding just enough lemon juice to heighten the flavor.
Tags: bacon, braises, chicken, mushrooms, onions, Spring, Winter