As the sun wanes and the days get shorter, this dish is guaranteed to keep those summer days fresh in your mind (and on your tongue!).
And we love it even more because it uses three apple ingredients:
- fresh dessert apples (Cox’s Orange Pippin is great, or maybe a nutty Egremont Russet)
- cider (a dry one, about 4.5% alcohol)
- Calvados (a votre santé…!)
Bon appetit!
Ingredients (serves 4)
- oil for frying
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
- 2 tablespoons Calvados
- 3 teaspoons plain flour
- 250ml dry cider
- 150ml chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons double cream
To garnish
- 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- large knob of butter
- a pinch of caster sugar
- chopped fresh parsley
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the shallot and fry for 5 minutes until starting to turn golden brown. Remove and keep in a bowl for later.
- Add the chicken and brown the pieces on the skin side until golden, remove the chicken to a clean plate.
- Add the Calvados and briefly boil.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a few minutes minutes until lightly browned.
- Off the heat, gradually add the cider, blending well. Then add the cooked shallot and the stock.
- Return to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper and add the bay leaf, simmer for 2 minutes.
- Pop the chicken back in, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until cooked through.
- Fry the apples with the butter and sugar on both sides until golden brown.
- When the chicken is cooked, lift out and keep warm.
- Strain the sauce and reduce by boiling until the desired consistency is reached, add the cream and season to taste.
Serve with…
Friends and sunshine… oh, and a fresh white wine with good acidity to partner those apples – look for Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc or maybe a Riesling.
As ever, if you give any recipe a go, please do write back and tell us all about it.
