Ingredients
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1/2 cup lardons, cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2 inch strips (embarrassing fact, I spent $20 on Courvoisier to make this dish and used turkey bacon because I don')
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2 tablespoons olive oil (or more)
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2 1/2 lbs ready-cut frying chickens, thoroughly dried (a selection of parts, or all of one kind, I used chicken thighs and removed the skin so they wouldn')
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1/4 cup cognac or 1/4 cup armagnac
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salt and pepper
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1 imported bay leaf (I couldn't find "imported", used domestic instead)
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1/4 teaspoon thyme
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3 tablespoons flour
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2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, or Pinot Noir)
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2 cups brown chicken stock or 2 cups beef bouillon (more or less; I used a little less)
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1 -2 clove garlic, mashed or minced
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, trimmed,washed,and quartered
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16 -20 small white onions, peeled
Instructions
- If you are using lardons, saute several minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove lardons to a side dish and leave fat in pan; otherwise, film pan with 1/8 inch of oil.
- (My weird turkey bacon didn't give up a lot of fat, so I went with a little extra olive oil--).
- Heat fat or oil in pan to moderately hot, add chicken, not crowding pan; turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides (my skinless thighs didn't exactly"brown" as chicken with skin would have; if I had used white meat I would have left the skin on).
- Pour in the Cognac, shake pan a few seconds until bubbling hot, then ignite Cognac with a match.
- (What a rush!).
- Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme.
- Place onions around the chicken.
- Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.
- Uncover the pan; sprinkle on the flour turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.
- Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken.
- Add the browned lardons, garlic, and tomato paste.
- Cover and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes, then test chicken, remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer.
- (I actually cooked it about 15 to 20 minutes longer so it would reduce and become more of a sauce.) Return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms and simmer 4 to 5 minutes.
- Taste carefully, and correct seasoning.
- Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly.
- If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of bouillon.