This was perfected by the French after Gaius Iulius Caesar‘s chef created it to make use of the many old chickens of Rome.  The French chefs discovered that the peasant’s had been making it all along and turned it into magical wine rich feast food.  In France wine from Burgundy is commonly used but one must not forget that in Franche-Comte the chicken is simmered in vin jaune and in the Alsace in Riesling – the latter unbelievably good. In both Franche-Comte and in the Alsace morels (mushrooms) and cream are added so we suggest that you experiment until  you find a recipe that you feel passionate about.

Ingredients

• 1 x 2.5 kg organic chicken, cut into 6 pieces (do not discard giblets and carcass)
• 1 carrot
• 1 teaspoon peppercorms
• 1 onion
• 150 g pancetta (one piece, not sliced)
• 30g butter
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 2 sticks of celery, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsps flour
• 2 tbsps cognac
• 1 bottle good red wine
• 5 small sprigs of thyme
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 40g butter
• 12 small onions, peeled
• 200g morel mushrooms (you can substitute here)

Method

• Put the chicken carcass and giblets into a stock pot, cover with water and add an onion and a carrot, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 5 cardamom pods and boil.
• Turn the heat down and allow to simmer until you need it.
• Cut the pancetta into slices.
• Fry them in the butter until they are golden and remove them without the fat.
• Season the chicken sections with salt and pepper and put them in the fat from the pancetta.
• Do not flip them constantly, turn them over when the bottom of the piece of chicken is honey coloured and when both sides are done, remove and set aside.
• Take the sliced carrot, celery and onion and fry them in the pan in which the chicken pieces have been fried until they are translucent.
• Add the chicken and the pancetta to the vegetables and stir in the flour and cognac and the herbs.
• Pour in the chicken stock and the wine and allow to boil gently.
• After about 15 minutes, add the small onions and the mushrooms.
• Cook, partially covered, on low-medium heat until the chicken is just starting to get soft.
• Remove the lid and start to reduce the stock until it is just getting thick.

Serve with rice.