Читать книгу Great Family Food - Kevin Dundon - Страница 25

1 whole large chicken (1.3kg/3lb), cut into portions with skin on

50g/2oz/¹/4 cup butter or goose fat

200g/7oz button mushrooms, quartered or sliced

20 pearl onions, peeled but left whole

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

4 rashers of back bacon, cut into strips (lardons)

1 tsp tomato purée

600ml/1 pint/2¹/₂ cups red wine

200ml/7fl oz/generous ³/₄ cup chicken stock

3-4 fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 bunch of fresh parsley, to garnish

salt and freshly ground black pepper

To thicken:

25g/1oz/¹/₄ stick butter, softened

50g/2oz/¹/₃ cup plain flour

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2 Place the chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper and mix the chicken around to ensure that it is fully seasoned.

3 Heat the butter in a large pan. Pan-fry the chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown all over. Take the chicken pieces out of the pan and transfer to a large casserole dish.

4 If required, add another teaspoon of butter to the pan and add the mushrooms, onions, chopped garlic and bacon. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until glazed and golden brown. Add the tomato purée and whisk in the red wine together with the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, then add the fresh thyme sprigs and the bay leaves to the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces in the casserole and place in the oven for 1-1¹/₄ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.

5 Remove the chicken from the sauce, place on a warmed plate, cover with foil and leave for a couple of minutes. Remove the thyme and bay leaves from the sauce. Return the saucepan to the hob and bring the sauce to the boil.

6 Mix the softened butter with the flour into a soft dough. Break this into the boiling liquid (it is very important that the liquid is boiling at this stage; if not, it will make for a very lumpy sauce) and whisk rapidly, then allow the sauce to thicken for 8-10 minutes.

7 Put the chicken on a serving plate, pour over the sauce and garnish with the parsley. Serve with crusty bread and crisp green vegetables.