Satisfied Cravings: Favorite recipes from cookbooks I've reviewed.
Chicken in Red Wine Sauce
Makes 4 servings
Time: About 40 minutes.
| 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil |
| About 1 cup all-purpose flour for dredging |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
| 1 whole (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut up, with each leg cut into two pieces, trimmed of excess fat, then rinsed and patted dry with paper towels |
| 2 tablespoons butter, or more olive oil |
| 1/2 pound white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced |
| 2 medium onions, chopped |
| 1 teaspoon minced garlic |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste |
| 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme |
| 1 bay leaf |
| 1 cup dry red wine |
| 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish |
| Soak 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms in hot water to cover while you proceed with the recipe. |
| Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep skillet, Dutch oven, or casserole. Put the flour on a plate or in a shallow bowl and season it with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot ( a pinch of flour will sizzle), dredge the chicken pieces in the flour (thighs first, followed by drumsticks, then finally breasts and wings), shaking off any excess. As you coat the pieces, add them to the oil and brown on all sides. Regulate the heat so that the oil bubbles but is not so hot that it will burn the chicken. (You can skip this browning step if you like, as noted above; heat the oils and go directly to cooking the mushrooms.) |
| When the chicken is nicely browned, remove it from the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Pour off all the fat and add the butter or additional oil. A minute later, add the white mushrooms. |
| Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to darken, about 5 minutes. Drain the porcini and reserve their liquid. Chop the mushrooms and add them and a little of their liquid (pour carefully, or strain it first if it is gritty), along with the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. |
| Add the bay leaf, wine, parsley, the remaining mushroom soaking liquid, and the chicken. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook, turning the pieces every 5 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes (longer if you skipped the browning step). Remove the cover. If the sauce is too watery, raise the heat to high and cook, stirring, and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is reduced slightly. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then garnish and serve. |
