Farmhouse Chicken in Vinegar Sauce

I am not exactly sure what the "proper" name for this dish is. It seems different - as far as I can tell - from the recipes that I have seen for Coq au Riesling; but I am not certain, and it could be a variation.

I have had this recipe for some time, but have been reluctant to actually try it, mostly because - like so often - I have been waiting for all conditions to be "perfect" before I do. This recipe traditionally calls for a special, unique ingredient: a cider vinegar produced in Alsace that includes an infusion of honey and herbs, called Melfor Vinegar:



http://a.co/f0WmKf0

Please take a moment to click the link above and read about this product. Doing so helps this forum pay for itself!

I have a friend in Alsace, named JB, who actually sent a supply of this vinegar to me, along with a beautiful earthenware vessel from the town of Soufflenheim, which is renowned for its traditional Alsatian cookware. All of this is of great significance to me, because my direct ancestors originated in Alsace before emigrating to Ukraine in the 1800s, the to North Dakota in the United States.

So, with all of this self-inflicted pressure to "do it right," I managed to procrastinate on this project for a ridiculous length of time; however, I believe that the time to prepare this is close at hand.

Here is a short write-up and the recipe, as presented by Saveur's online magazine:

Farmhouse Chicken in Vinegar Sauce Philippe Gaertner, a chef — like his father and grandfather before him — in Ammershwihr, France, prefers to use Alsatian honey-perfumed melfor vinegar to make this classic dish. In the absence of this strictly local product, he recommends using cider vinegar sweetened with a drop of honey. Serves 4 1 (3-1⁄2-lb). chicken, cut into 8 pieces Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp. canola oil 6 tbsp. butter 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 4 shallots, peeled and minced 1 cup Melfor Vinegar (or cider vinegar mixed with 1 drop honey) 1 cup Alsatian riesling or other dry but fruity white wine 1 tbsp. tomato paste 1 cup chicken stock 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley Instructions Rinse chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil and 2 tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, skin side down, and brown, turning once, about 10 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Repeat procees with remaining chicken. Remove from pan and pour off most of the fat, leaving just enough to thinly coat skillet. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and shallots, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Deglaze skillet with vinegar and wine, scraping brown bits off bottom with a wooden spoon. Reduce vinegar mixture by about one-third, 3-5 minutes, then stir in tomato paste. Return chicken to skillet, pour in stock, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn chicken and continue cooking until juices from chicken run clear, about 15 minutes. (If sauce becomes too thick, thin with a small amount of chicken stock or water.) Remove chicken from skillet with a fork and set aside. Increase heat to medium-high, skim foam from sauce and continue cooking until sauce is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes. Cut remaining butter into small pieces. Remove skillet from heat and whisk butter into sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. (Sauce should be smooth but tart; add additional vinegar if desired.) Return chicken to skillet, turning to coat evenly with sauce. To serve, transfer chicken and sauce to a serving platter and garnish with parsley. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Farmhouse-Chicken-in-Vinegar-Sauce

One of the first things I noticed in the recipe was the use of the canola oil; I figure that this is a more modern interpretation, and someone wanting to be more traditional about it would use rendered fat from chicken, or perhaps pork or duck. When I do try this, I will use one of those fats, as I believe that it will conform more to the terroir of the recipe.

Hopefully, I will prepare this sooner, rather than later; I'll report more when it happens.

Ron

Hi, Margi -

I remember the Manteca de Cerdo - wonderful, when used for the pernil and other similar applications!

Chicken or duck fat is my goal with this - we shall see how it goes. I have high hopes for this dish, and am eager to give it a shot.