Lead Dog Ventures - Tomato Sauce

Lead Dog Ventures
85 Old Connecticut Path, Wayland, MA 01778
p. 508-358-6178 f, 508-358-5586
[john@johnlandry.com]

This recipe is just delicious! Modified slightly from my favorite cooking magazine of all, Cooks Illustrated, it's great for company since it cooks for over an hour at a simmer while you enjoy your friends. Serve it with a salad, Swiss Chard sautéed with olive oil and garlic, and either whole wheat couscous or french bread. Vive la France! j

Landry’s Chicken Provencal (serves 4)

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat (Empire, Bell & Evans)

table salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (Davinci, Antica Azienda Raineri)

1 small onion, chopped fine (about 2/3 cup)

6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced - about 2 tablespoons

1 anchovy filet, minced - about 1 teaspoon (Ortiz)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup dry white wine (ideally Sauvignon Blanc)

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson, Imagine, Minors)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), drained (Muir Glen, RedPack)

2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste (Amore)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaf

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup niçoise olives , pitted (substitute Kalamatas)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add 4 chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook without moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer; transfer to large plate. Add remaining 4 chicken thighs to pot and repeat, then transfer to plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot.

2. Add onion to fat in Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, anchovy, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and scrape up browned bits from pan bottom with wooden spoon. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, bay, and herbes de Provence (if using)

3. Remove and discard skin from chicken thighs, then submerge chicken in liquid and add accumulated chicken juices to pot. Increase heat to high, bring to simmer, cover, then set pot in oven; cook until chicken offers no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife but still clings to bones, about 1 1/4 hours.

4. Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to serving platter and tent with foil. Discard bay leaf. Set Dutch oven over high heat, stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, bring to boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Stir in olives (pit them by loosening the flesh by pounding with a mallet between sheets of wax paper) and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon zest with parsley.

5. Spoon sauce over chicken, drizzle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, sprinkle with parsley mixture, and serve.