Servings: 4 to 6
Ready Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
125 grams pancetta, chopped
1/2 pound (about 2 cups) cremini mushrooms, halved
15 pearl onions, blanched and peeled
100 grams (about 1 cup) shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
2 tablespoons salted butter
5 large chicken legs separated into thigh and drumstick
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1large parsnip, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Cognac
9 baby potatoes, halved
1 750-millilitre bottle of Beaujolais
2 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Method
Cook pancetta in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring until crisp. Transfer to a plate. Add mushrooms and pearl onions to the fat in the pan. Sauté until softened and golden (about 8 minutes). Transfer to a plate.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan along with half the chicken pieces to avoid crowding. Brown well on all sides and remove to the plate. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken and transfer to plate.
In the same pan, stir in garlic, onion, carrot, parsnip and celery. Sauté until softened (about 6 to 8 minutes). Add flour and tomato paste, stir and let cook for a minute. Add Cognac and potatoes. Return chicken and pancetta to the pot. Top with wine and stock. Add bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 1 hour.
Add grapes, pearl onions and mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. Turn up heat and let sauce thicken and reduce for about 6 minutes. Return chicken to pot, sprinkle with parsley and serve.