Recipe#8592

Title: POULET AU VINAIGRE A L'ESTRAGON

From: Greg Swindell/Carol Davis 
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 21:16:33 PDT 
Gourmet
May 1991

                        a 10-ounce container fresh pearl onions
                        (about 2 1/2 cups), blanched
   1      in            boiling water for 1 minute, drained, and
                        peeled
   2      tablespoons   vegetable oil
   1      tablespoon    unsalted butter
   3 1/2  pounds        chicken pieces
   1      cup           tarragon white-wine vinegar
     1/2  cup           dry white wine
   1 1/2  cups          chicken broth
   1      cup           chopped and drained canned whole tomatoes
   2      tablespoons   finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1
                        teaspoon dried,
                        crumbled, plus, if desired, fresh
                        tarragon sprigs for garnish
   4      teaspoons     arrowroot or 1 1/2 tablespoons
                        cornstarch, either
                        dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
In a saucepan of boiling salted water boil the onions for 10 minutes, or
until they
are just tender, and drain them well. In a heavy kettle heat the oil and
the butter
over moderately high heat until the mixture is hot but not smoking and
in the fat
brown well the chicken, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, in
batches,
transferring it as it is browned with tongs to a platter. Pour the fat
from the kettle,
add the onions, and sauté them, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the vinegar
and the wine
and boil the liquid, scraping up the brown bits, until it is reduced by
half. Add the
broth, the tomatoes, the dried tarragon, if using, and the chicken,
bring the mixture
to a boil, and simmer it, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the
chicken is
cooked through. The chicken may be prepared up to this point 1 day in
advance:
Let the mixture cool, uncovered, and chill it, covered. Reheat the
mixture before
proceeding.
Transfer the chicken and the onions with a slotted spoon to a heated
platter and
keep them warm, covered with foil. Stir the arrowroot or cornstarch
mixture, add it
to the simmering cooking liquid with half the chopped fresh tarragon, if
using, and
simmer the sauce, stirring, for 1 minute. Spoon the sauce over the
chicken, sprinkle
the chicken with the remaining chopped fresh tarragon, if using, and
garnish it with
the tarragon sprigs.
Serves 6.