Poulet A La Catalane Recipes

Steps:

• Remove the tendon from the chicken. Cut the eggplant, tomatoes, onion and squash into small cubes. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds and the white skin inside. Rinse chickpeas until water runs clear, strain and put aside. Heat fry pan to high, when hot add butter and let it brown lightly. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. When the chicken is brown but not completely cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
• Put fresh butter in the pan with the onions and let cook for a couple minutes, then add the peppers, eggplant and squash. If the pan becomes too dry add some more butter and the juice from the tomatoes. When cooked to more or less soft add the white wine. Reduce until a glaze forms, add the tomatoes at the last minute as well as the chicken. As soon as you add the last 2 ingredients turn off the flame. The chicken is still undercooked but it will slowly heat up with the vegetables. Check the seasoning, add the chiffonade of basil, bring to high heat and serve immediately. Decorate with a pretty basil leaf.

Steps:

• Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels, and season well with salt and pepper. Heat the fat in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Brown the chicken, in batches if necessary, skin side down until deep golden, 6 to 8 minutes, then flip, and sear the other side until golden, another 3 minutes.
• If flambéing: Make sure there is nothing flammable near or above your stove. Gently warm the Calvados in a saucepan over medium heat. When the chicken is well browned, protect your hand, and use a long kitchen match to light the liquor on fire, then carefully pour it into the chicken pan. The flame can shoot over 2 feet high, so be careful. Cook until the flame subsides. If not flambéing: Once the chicken is browned, turn off the heat, and add the Calvados. When the sizzling subsides, turn the heat on to medium low, bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
• Add the cider and onions, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer. Quickly peel and core the apples, and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks, and place them on top of the chicken. Cover the pan, and cook, checking occasionally to ensure the liquid is maintaining a gentle simmer, not boiling, until the chicken is just cooked through, 35-40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken, onions and apples to a platter, and cover. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir this into the braising liquid, and bring to a simmer for 1 minute, until thickened. Stir in the crème fraîche, and season the sauce with salt to taste, replace the chicken, onions and apples in the sauce and serve with crusty bread and a salad.