Chicken and wild mushroom fricassee

A fricassee has just the right sound for a winter meal. This recipe from Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs Allstar Cookbook combines American Southern comfort with some flavours of Provence. It could be served over a potato or other root vegetable purée. — Mia Stainsby

RECIPE

¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil

6 chicken thighs with skin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 oz (115 g) wild mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) tomato paste

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ cup (125 mL) dry white wine

1 bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken broth

Prepare the chicken in an enamelled castiron casserole and heat oil until shim- mering. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Working in batches, brown chicken over moderately high heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add onion, carrot, celery to casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until deep mahogany, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, bay leaf and thyme and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the broth and chicken and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Boil the cooking liquid until thickened and reduced to 2½ cups (625 mL), about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and thyme. Coarsely shred the chicken and stir it into the reduced sauce; discard the skin and bones. Simmer gently until the chicken is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Serve the chicken fricassee with creamy turnips.

Makes 6 servings

RECIPE MATCH

Medium-weight red wines are best here, with a bit more fruit than oak.

Caravan Petite Sirah 2012, South Eastern Australia, $17

Soft smoky, ripe plum fruit with a twist of spice and warmth makes a wonderful match for the chicken and mushrooms.

Blasted Church Big Bang Theory 2013, Okanagan Valley, $19.50

Juicy, light palate with smoky herbs, meaty, black cherry, coffee and tobacco flavours that will easily tame the fricassee.