A chicken cooked gently in red wine,
now what could be more French… or more
delicious? I took this classic and used the Rock
Cornish game hens, the small flavorsome North
American bi-partisan or multi national
experiment in genetics and bathed it in a Napa
Valley ARIEL Merlot. Add new potatoes to the
"casserole" and spinach as a side dish and
you'll get more than a "whiff" of the pleasures
in store for you at the French flavored tables
of Quebec in Canada.
Serves 6
1/2 tsp. Olive oil
2 Rock Cornish game hens 24 ounces, each cut in
half
10 ounces pearl onions, peeled
3 ounces Canadian bacon, cut in 1/2 inch
pieces
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut in 1"
pieces
12 medium mushrooms, whole
1 pound tiny new red potatoes whole with skin
intact
1/2 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 low sodium canned or homemade chicken
stock
1 1/2 cups ARIEL Merlot
2 TB sherry mixed with 4 TB water (slurry)
1 pound spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 350
degrees. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet on
medium. Brown the hens skin side down, turning
once, 5 minutes. It will be a tight squeeze, but
no matter. Remove from the pan and set
aside.
Place the onions, Canadian
bacon, turnips, mushrooms, potatoes and thyme
into the pan and cook stirring 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves and pour in the
stock and wine. Return the browned hens to the
pan, cover, and bring to a boil. Bake in
preheated over 40 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a plate
to cool slightly, before removing the skin and
bones. Leave the flesh in the largest pieces
possible. Discard the skin, bones, and bay
leaves. Carefully strain the liquid into A fat
strainer then pour back into the pan (through a
sieve) without the fat. Bring to a boil and let
it Boil, uncovered, 10 minutes to reduce the
liquid and finish the vegetables.
Stir in the slurry and
return the cooked chicken. Place a handful or
raw spinach leaves into each of 6 bowls and
ladle the stew over the top. Sprinkle parsley on
each serving.
|
