Chicken Braised with Dried Figs, Sage and Grappa

By exdircomp

Ingredients

• • 1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
• • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• • 1/2 leek, sliced thin (1 1/4 cups sliced)
• • 1 onion, diced medium
• • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• • 2 celery stalks, sliced thin
• • 5 cloves garlic, minced
• • 3 tablespoons sage
• • 1/2 bulb fennel, diced small
• • 1 cup dried California figs, diced small
• • 1/2 cup grappa
• • 1/2 cup red wine
• • 1/4 cup black olives, pitted
• • Grated zest of 1 lemon
• • Dried chilli flakes; to taste
• • 2 bay leaves
• • Splash of chicken stock, to cover chicken

Preparation

Step 1

PROCEDURE
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces (4 pieces from the breast, 2 thigh pieces, 2 drumsticks). Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan or a Dutch oven over high heat. Brown chicken well on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

Reserve about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan and discard the rest. Add the leek, onion, carrots, celery and fennel and garlic to the pan. Sauté vegetables until soft and caramelized, about 4 minutes. Add the figs and sage. Sauté for an additional minute. Add the black olives, lemon zest, lemon juice and chilli flakes. Remove pan from heat, deglaze with grappa and return to heat.

Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the grappa has reduced by half, add the wine and bay leaves. Bring back to a boil. Remove from heat and return the chicken to the pan. Add a splash of the chicken stock just to moisten. Cover with aluminum foil or lid and place in the center of the oven. Braise for 45 to 60 minutes or until the chicken is tender and comes loose from the bones when pan is shaken.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve immediately