STEW YOU! - Chef Pierre Franey's Chicken Stew w/ Winter Vegetables

STEW YOU!

Chef Pierre Franey’s

 Chicken Stew w/ Winter Vegetables

 

Summer’s over and the cool/cold weather makes me think of a chilly Hallow’s Eve and the smell of pumpkin pie and homemade soups and stews.  Well, I’ve blogged about chicken soup and beef stews --- but I’ve never blogged about chicken stew.  In fact, I never heard of chicken stew until my friend, Sandy Kessler, told us about French chef Pierre Franey’s recipe.  She raved.  When she raves, we listen… then Richard made it from a $3.00 three-four pound chicken (on sale).  So good (and cheap), it’s a stew you write home about.  Or, in my case, blog about.  And, it’s even better the second night.  Really, it was!  Next time we have it (and there will be many a next time) Richard might even make it the day before and let it ‘stew’ in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Ingredients:

One 3 lb whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces

1 pint Brussels sprouts

16 baby carrots, trimmed & scraped

1 cup white turnips, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 cup parsnips, cut into ½ inch cubs

1 cup chopped leeks, white part only

12 small white onions, peeled

2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 whole cloves

2 cups fresh or canned chicken broth or water

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh coriander

Directions:

Trim the end of the sprouts and make a small gash in the bottom of each

Place chicken pieces in a Dutch oven. 

Add sprouts and all the remaining ingredients except the Worcestershire sauce and coriander.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove cloves and bay leaf.  Add Worcestershire sauce and chopped coriander.  Blend and serve.  That’s it!  How easy can you get?

A note:  Richard wanted a thicker broth (more ‘gravy’ like, than ‘soup’ like), but didn’t want to add cornstarch so he took out some of the stew’s cooked winter veggies and pureed them, then stirred the veggie puree back into the stew.  I definitely recommend doing this.  Makes the stew more stew-y.

The stew can be served w/ rice, cous cous or egg noodles – but Richard served it just as is.  Delish. 

Makes 4 servings