by Chef Paul Short, Madison Area Technical College Culinary Arts Chef Instructor
From our 2007 Wollersheim Winery Open House
INGREDIENTS
4 each whole chicken legs & thighs
kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup flour for dusting leg & thighs
1 3/4 cup sliced leeks (whites only)
1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup peeled and sliced carrots
3 each garlic cloves peeled & smashed
6 sprigs thyme leaves removed
2 each bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup Domaine du Sac Red wine
1 large bunch parsley finely chopped
4 cups rich chicken stock
Winter Root Vegetables
8 baby carrots with tops
8 white pearl onions
2 pears and 1 cup water with 1/2 of sugar (bring sugar and water to a boil and shut down)
12 fingerling potatoes
PREPARATION
1. Place canola oil (reserve 1 tablespoons of the oil for later use) in a suitable braising pan and heat over medium heat. Dust legs and thighs in flour and season with salt and pepper. Carefully place each leg and thigh into the hot oil. Brown evenly on both sides of the chicken leg and thigh. Remove the leg and thighs and drain off the excess fat.
2. Add the 1 remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and place over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, onions, carrots, garlic, thyme leaves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Briefly sauté together and add the Domaine du Sac. Bring to a boil and let cook until half of the wine has reduced. Place the chicken leg and thighs on to the reduced mixture. Add chicken stock and cover. Cook until the chicken is tender.
3. While the chicken is cooking, blanch and shock the carrots. Caramelize the pearl onions in a Teflon coated sauté pan. Cut the pears in half and remove the cores; poach the pears in a simple syrup solution until the pear is tender. Roast the fingerling potatoes until tender.
4. When the chicken is tender, remove it from the braising pan and strain the remaining sauce. Skim off any excess fat that may have risen to the top of the sauce. Place clean, strained sauce into a saucepot and bring to a simmer. Add the winter root vegetable mixture and tender chicken legs and thighs. Heat together briefly and place into a warm bowl for service.
SERVES FOUR
