COQ AU RIESLING | CHICKEN BRAISED IN ALSATIAN RIESLING WINE

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8 pieces chicken, with skin on, 3-to-3 ½ lbs total
salt and black pepper, about 3/4 tsp each
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, plus an additional tablespoon
2 tablespoons oil, plus an additional tablespoon
1 cup sliced leeks
1 cup finely diced red onion
1-to-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cognac
1 1/2 cups medium-sweet Riesling wine
1-to-2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
4-to-8 medium carrots, peeled
4 medium-small red potatoes, peeled, cooked in salted water until just tender
2/3 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Whisk salt, black pepper and flour in a bowl.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan. Cover chicken pieces in flour mix and cook, in batches, 4-to-5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Set aside.

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add leeks, onion and salt and sauté for about 7 minutes until slightly golden. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Deglaze pan with cognac. Add Riesling and Marsala wines, chicken stock and tarragon. Bring to a boil over medium-heat and cook 3-to-4 minutes until liquid is reduced by a third. Add chicken and juices in saucepan, skin side up, on top of sautéed vegetables. Arrange carrots on top. Cover, braise on low 25-to-50 minutes until chicken is done and fork tender.

Once cooked, gently mix in crème fraîche and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper then toss in potatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes or so until potatoes are warmed up.

* when doubling the recipe, it is best to cover the dish and bake in a preheated 425F oven for 10 minutes then continue cooking at 300F-325F until chicken is done. You can thicken the sauce with cornstarch if you like.

**This dish tastes better if prepared a day in advance and re-heated day of serving. When doing so, I finish up the dish by adding cream, potatoes, etc … then refrigerate till the next day. Serve with buttered noodles or rice.

***You can add sautéed mushroom instead of carrots and potatoes. If so, serve with a side of Parsley Red Potatoes.