Recipe: Portuguese-Style Jugged Chicken (using chicken thighs, wine and brandy)

PORTUGUESE-STYLE JUGGED CHICKEN

"This dish gets most of its salt from the ham and mustard, so the chicken should be just lightly salted. The Portuguese would most likely serve with this French fries, a very good combination indeed. Steamed rice is another good accompaniment to soak up all the tasty sauce."

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 chicken thighs
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
24 fresh pearl onions, peeled, or thawed frozen pearl onions
1/4 pound sliced Portuguese, Spanish serrano, prosciutto di Parma or similar cured ham, finely chopped
6 large cloves garlic, crushed
6 medium canned tomatoes, drained, with 1/4 cup juice reserved, coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup tawny Port
3 tablespoons Portuguese aguardiente, Italian grappa or similar brandy
1/2 cup chicken stock, canned low-sodium chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Lightly but evenly salt and generously pepper the chicken thighs on both sides. Set aside in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In 6- to 8-quart flameproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid, heat 3
tablespoons olive oil and cook pearl onions, ham and garlic for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, reserved juice and bay leaves, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 minutes. Add wine, Port and brandy and simmer gently 5 minutes longer.

Toss chicken with remaining olive oil to coat and set aside.

Stir stock and mustard into casserole and add chicken, turning it in the sauce to coat. Turn chicken thighs skin side up and cover casserole tightly.

Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees and bake chicken until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes more. Adjust oven temperature as needed to maintain a bare simmer.

Transfer casserole to stove top and transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Arrange chicken skin side up and cover tightly with more foil. Set aside.

Bring cooking liquid to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat and cook until it becomes a flavorful, slightly thickened but still fluid sauce, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in parsley, cover and keep warm over lowest possible heat.

Preheat broiler and position broiling rack 6 inches from heat source. Uncover chicken and pour any accumulated juices into casserole. Broil chicken until well browned (almost blackened) and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

Divide chicken among serving plates and divide sauce among the plates, spooning a little over the chicken and most of it on the plate.

Wine note:
White and red wines are equally good with this dish. For the white wine, try the light, bright and lemony refreshment of the Quinta da Romeira Bucelas made from Portugal's Arinto grape, or Vinicola de Nelas Dao Escancdo, a softly tangy and warmly flavored red. From beyond Portugal, try a white like the Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. For a red, pour a pinot noir like the Vavasour Pinot Noir, also from Marlborough.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Lobel's Meat and Wine by Stanley, Leon, Evan, Mark and David Lobel