CHICKEN WITH RED WINE SAUCE SIMPLEST METHOD
Instructions:
- REMOV E the thigh bone from the chicken legs so the thigh cooks in the same time as the breast. Season the chicken parts with salt and pepper and cook them, skin-side down first, in 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium to high heat until the skin turns crispy, about 12 minutes.
- As soon as you put the chicken in the pan, jerk the handle back and forth in a clockwise and then counterclockwise direction for about 1 minute to prevent the chicken from sticking. Turn the pieces over and cook them for about 10 minutes on the flesh side. (You’ll need a 14-inch [35.5-cm] sauté pan to fit all the chicken pieces. If you don’t have a pan this big, sauté in batches or use two pans.
- A nonstick pan will help to ensure that the chicken doesn’t stick. If, despite all efforts, the skin sticks when you try to turn the pieces, let the skin brown a few minutes longer—it will often loosen itself.) When the chicken bounces back to the touch and no longer feels fleshy, transfer it to a plate and keep it warm. (If you can’t judge doneness by touch, just cut into a piece somewhere discreet.) Pour the fat out of the pan and discard it.
- STIR the shallots in the still-hot pan until they smell fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red wine, the demi-glace or broth, and the mushrooms, and boil down over high heat until only about 1 cup [250 ml] of sauce is left. If the sauce has the consistency you like (I like the texture of hot real maple syrup), stir in the parsley, whisk in the optional butter, adjust the salt and pepper, vinegar and Cognac, and spoon the sauce and mushrooms over the chicken on plates or on a platter. If the sauce seems too thin (it will be thinner if you’ve used broth instead of demi-glace, which contains flour), you have two choices.
- You can whisk the beurre manié, a bit at a time, into the simmering sauce until the sauce has the right thickness, or you can reduce the sauce down even more—to about ½ cup—and then whisk in the plain butter. Add the parsley, vinegar, and Cognac; adjust the seasoning, and serve.