Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts

Sometimes the magic works, sometimes it doesn't. We didn't care for Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts  For one thing the Pine Nuts loose their crunchiness in the cooking. Doesn't make much sense to us. However, don't take our word for it, if it sounds intriguing to you by all means go for it!

Chicken Braised with Potatoes and Pine Nuts

New York Times

 

Margot Henderson is the chef at Rochelle Canteen in Shoreditch, where London’s cool kids wait hours to score a garden table for lunch. Her food is mainly English classics, but this one-pot meal — more home cooking than hipster — has hints of Spanish and Portuguese flavor. Except for the sherry vinegar, the seasonings here (bay leaves, cloves, saffron) can be adjusted for your taste and the contents of your spice drawer. 

 

Ingredients

 

3       tablespoons olive oil

6       bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Salt and pepper

2       white or yellow onions, sliced

2       celery stalks, chopped

8       garlic cloves, smashed, peeled and left whole

⅔      cup dry white wine

3       tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more if needed

3       tablespoons pine nuts

4       dried bay leaves

4       whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cinnamon)

Pinch of saffron (optional)

1       pound baby potatoes, washed and halved

3       ounces kale, stemmed, leaves thinly sliced

2       tablespoons unsalted butter

¼      cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for serving

 

Preparation

 

1.    In a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken in one layer, heat the olive oil over high until shimmering. Season chicken pieces on the skin side with salt and pepper, then lay them in the pan, skin-side down. Adjust the heat so they sizzle but do not pop or scorch. Cook until skin is deeply browned and comes away easily from the pan, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2.    Add onions, celery and garlic to the fat in the pot, season with salt and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the wine and vinegar. Stir in 1/2 cup water, pine nuts, bay leaves, cloves and saffron (if using). Return the chicken pieces to the pan, and nestle them into the liquid, skin-side up.

3.    Cover tightly and let cook undisturbed over the lowest possible heat until cooked through, about 45 minutes.

4.    Add the potatoes, then add more water until the liquid barely covers the potatoes. If in doubt, use less; you can always add more. Cover again and cook another 20 minutes.

5.    When ready to serve, gently reheat. Taste the cooking liquid and season with salt, pepper and a drop more vinegar if needed. Stir in the kale and simmer, uncovered, until completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter and parsley and serve, sprinkling each serving with more parsley.