Free-Range Chicken au Jus & Green Cabbage
Provence is a wonderful place to be not just in the summer, but all year around! At Figuière, the large part of their winemaking is devoted to rosé, but when the temperatures get a little chilly, they are quick to raid the Winery Cellar for a bottle of comforting Red! This winter dish of roasted chicken served with its jus and green cabbage is the perfect pairing with Figuiere #2 – one of Figuière’s red cuvées from the Les Expérimentales range.
Ingredients for 6-8 people
- 1 free-range chicken, about 2.5kg
- 1 onion – cut in coarse slices
- 200 g of lean smoked bacon
- 25cl of white or rosé wine (of your choice)
- 1 beautiful green cabbage
- 3 TBSP of olive oil
- 3 branches of fresh Thyme
- 2 Bay leaves
- 3 big pinches of sea salt (sel de Guérande)
- Pepper
- 3 Teaspoons of salted butter
Preparation:
1/ In a cast iron casserole (Dutch Oven), brown the chicken in olive oil and a few pinches of coarse Guérande sea salt on low heat. Remove chicken and set aside, then brown the onion the bacon. Remove the bacon and onion once they are well browned and deglaze the bottom of the casserole dish with the white or rosé wine. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken, onions, bacon, thyme sprigs and bay leaves back to the cast iron. Cover with the lid and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes (with a knife, make sure the flesh is white to the bone). If necessary, add more water during cooking.
2/ After having rinsed under water and cleaned/removed its first outer leaves, cut the cabbage in thick slices across its width. In a large pot, blanch slightly with steam vapor. Drain of excess moisture. Then fry it (make it sweat) over a low heat in a frying pan with the butter.
3/ 15 minutes before serving, place the cabbage in the bottom of the cast iron, in the chicken’s cooking juice. Let it simmer until serving, lid closed.
To serve with Figure #2 : Côtes de Provence Red, 2019
The wine’s notes of garrigue and its beautiful structure will combine with cooking juices and thyme in the dish, aromatically and texturally harmonising with the tender poultry meat, and crunchy sautéed cabbage.