Braising is a perfect one-pot, cold weather cooking technique that doesn't take much effort. The resulting meat is fall-off the bone tender. Adding fresh vegetables and herbs completes the dish.
As the braise simmers, the kitchen fills with a warming sweetness, further helping to banish the cold.
Using bacon with it's smoky flavor and good fat content adds even more flavor to the succulent chicken.
A couple of suggestions about braising: add the vegetables after the meat is tender to avoid overcooking and use on-the-bone chicken to gain the sweet advantage that the bones give the broth.
The dish can be made with chicken breast but I prefer the on-the-bone parts of the chicken--thighs, legs or wings. If you are using wings, disjoint them, using the wing tips to make stock.
There is nothing quite as satisfying as eating a thick slice of warm homemade bread slathered with creamy butter. For me, the process of making and kneading bread dough, normally a cool-weather activity in my kitchen, brings peace to my mind, reduces stress and releases me from all the small stuff I’m sweating about.
I see every glass half-full especially if it is a first growth! So, one reason why winter’s grey pall makes me sunny is that it is BLACK TRUFFLE SEASON! Think of all the lovely winter dishes one can indulge in during Black Truffle Season…
, by Patricia Wells – a book of recipes and stories “that capture the essence of the Black Diamond.” What delicious prey!
My oldest son has declared this..."the best thing you have ever made." He's already requesting it for his birthday next March. I don't blame him...it really is so, so good...it's one of those sweets you crave after you've had a slice.
In the past I would make lots of 