Weekend Cooking: Poulet Cocotte Grandmere

Whilst July does mean Paris in July, it also means Le Tour de France!

I love watching the bike race that covers so much of France each year, really it isn't for the race itself, as enjoyable that is. I don't really understand the tactics, but I do love watching the scenery whiz past and the amazing history that the host broadcasters ensure that we see.

One thing that happens before the start of each night here is that one of the more famous French chefs in Australia, Gabriele Gate, presents a short 5 minute presentation called Taste Le Tour about the local ingredients and cuisine of the area that the riders are in that day and shares a recipe.

As soon as I saw the recipe for Poulet Cocotte Grandmere (Grandmother's Chicken Casserole) I knew that it was one that I felt that I could try, and that the little chef would actually eat.

Here is the video showing a little background about the free range chickens that the area of Brest is apparently famous for and then the recipe.

Here is the recipe 

Ingredients 

3 tbsp vegetable oil 

2 tbsp butter 

4 free-range chicken drumsticks 

4 free-range chicken thighs 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 brown onion, diced 

1 bay leaf 

2 tbsp rosemary sprigs 

150g bacon, diced 

100ml white Macon wine or other chardonnay 

300g baby mushrooms, washed 

4 medium potatoes, cubed 

Preparation 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter in a wide heavy-based pan and brown the chicken pieces for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the onion, bay leaf and rosemary and stir well. Add the bacon and cook for a few minutes. 

Add the white wine and bring to the boil. Stir in the mushrooms, cover with foil and a lid and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. 

Heat the remaining oil in a heavy frypan and cook the potato cubes for about 15 minutes or until they are almost cooked. Transfer the potatoes to the chicken dish and mix gently and cook for a further 5 minutes to combine the wonderful flavours. Serve two pieces of chicken on each plate with the vegetables.

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