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Spring Chicken with Carrots and Peas

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, cut up into 8 pieces

  • 2-3 slices lemon

  • 2 bay leaves

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

  • 6 large shallots, sliced

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 3 cups shelled fresh peas or defrosted frozen organic peas

  • 1 large bunch spring carrots (3/4-1 pound), thinly sliced on an angle

  • A handful of fresh dill, chopped

  • A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons butter, plus more for the bread

  • Baguette, for serving

Directions

Place the chicken wings in a small saucepot and cover with water. Add the lemon and bay leaves, and sprinkle with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the remaining chicken pieces dry and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the EVOO in a deep skillet or wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, side-down, and cook until crisp, 15-18 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook, partially covered with a lid or foil, until cooked through, 8-10 more minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Lower the heat a bit, then add the shallots and sugar to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, and cook until reduced by half, 2-3 minutes.

Strain the poaching liquid and add 1 cup of it to the skillet. Add the peas, carrots and herbs, then stir in the butter and season with a little more salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas and carrots are tender, 6-7 minutes. If you are not serving the stew immediately, stop after you add the carrots and peas (do not simmer them). Arrange the chicken on top and cover. Cool and store in the refrigerator. To serve, removed the chicken to a broiler pan and crisp up under the broiler. Simmer the stew until the peas and carrots are tender, 6-7 minutes. Return the chicken to the stew.

Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and top with the chicken. Serve with warm buttered baguette.