ChefJune
Master Chef
If you like to flambe' and your family/guests like to watch you cook, this is a triple winner. I used to make it often, and kinda forgot about it. But we're going to have it tonight, in "honor" of Tax Day!
SAUTE of CHICKEN with TOMATOES and GARLIC
This Burgundian dish, from La Varenne director, Anne Willan, combines whole garlic cloves simmered with tomatoes and mellowed with Cognac. This is part of my class "Great Chicken Dishes from France."
makes 6 servings
1 4 to 4-1/2 lb chicken, cut into eight pieces
salt & freshly ground pepper
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
20 unpeeled large garlic cloves
1/2 cup Cognac-style brandy
1 pound ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or 1 can imported Italian plum tomatoes)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 bouquet garni/1 bay leaf, 4 fresh thyme sprigs & 4 parsley sprigs
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
fresh thyme sprigs
bay leaves
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces in batches and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet. Add garlic to skillet and stir 2 minutes.
Pour off fat from skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Add cognac and heat briefly. Ignite with match. When flames subside, add tomatoes, tomato paste and bouquet garni. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, turning pieces over once, 20 minutes for white meat and 25 minutes for dark meat. [This dish may also be made with boneless chicken breast halves. If you do that, the cooking time will be reduced 5 to 10 minutes.]
Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add stock to skillet and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing on garlic with back of a spoon to extract purée. Stir sauce over low heat until reduced to 1-1/2 cups.
Gradually whisk in remaining 3 Tablespoons butter. Adjust seasoning. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with bay leaves and thyme.
Serve with a rice pilaf made with currants and green onions.
SAUTE of CHICKEN with TOMATOES and GARLIC
This Burgundian dish, from La Varenne director, Anne Willan, combines whole garlic cloves simmered with tomatoes and mellowed with Cognac. This is part of my class "Great Chicken Dishes from France."
makes 6 servings
1 4 to 4-1/2 lb chicken, cut into eight pieces
salt & freshly ground pepper
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
20 unpeeled large garlic cloves
1/2 cup Cognac-style brandy
1 pound ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or 1 can imported Italian plum tomatoes)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 bouquet garni/1 bay leaf, 4 fresh thyme sprigs & 4 parsley sprigs
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
fresh thyme sprigs
bay leaves
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces in batches and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet. Add garlic to skillet and stir 2 minutes.
Pour off fat from skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Add cognac and heat briefly. Ignite with match. When flames subside, add tomatoes, tomato paste and bouquet garni. Cover and simmer until chicken is tender, turning pieces over once, 20 minutes for white meat and 25 minutes for dark meat. [This dish may also be made with boneless chicken breast halves. If you do that, the cooking time will be reduced 5 to 10 minutes.]
Transfer chicken to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add stock to skillet and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pressing on garlic with back of a spoon to extract purée. Stir sauce over low heat until reduced to 1-1/2 cups.
Gradually whisk in remaining 3 Tablespoons butter. Adjust seasoning. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with bay leaves and thyme.
Serve with a rice pilaf made with currants and green onions.