New Year, New Recipe

Happy New Year! And what a New Year's it was, starting with a pre-party dinner before going out to a NYE party with all-you-can-drink top shelf liquor, wine, and beer, along with crémant at the stroke of midnight. But the party didn't stop there, at 2:30 we decided to hit up a Koreatown karaoke bar that eventually culminated with a spirited rendition of New York, New York, before going for late night/ early morning Korean BBQ and stews at around 4am. Needless to say, New Year's day was a slow and unproductive one. But I was prepared, as I had bought all the necessary ingredients ahead of time to cook a New Year's day feast for dinner, avoiding the need to leave the apartment. On the menu was Poulet au Vin Blanc, or Chicken in White Wine, such delicious comfort food when you don't feel like going out. Paired with a little wine and a good movie, it made for the perfect lazy New Year's day. So, Happy New Year to everyone and may we all eat and drink better in 2015! Poulet au Vin Blanc: 110g Lardons or bacon cut into 1" pieces 2 Chicken legs separated into thighs and drumsticks Chicken carcass and wings cut into small pieces 1 Small onion or 1/2 of a large onion, diced 1 Carrot, diced 1 Celery branch, diced 3 Garlic cloves, sliced thin 6 Button mushrooms, quartered Thyme, a few branches 350ml White wine Parsley, chopped Chicken stock Roux Butter Salt and Pepper Sugar In a large pan cook the lardons to render out the fat. Remove the lardons, leaving the fat behind. Add the chicken leg pieces skin-side down, along with the carcass and wings to brown. Once they are nicely colored, remove all of the chicken pieces and degrease the pan. Add a small pat of butter and the diced carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms to the pan to caramelize slightly. When they are nicely colored, add the garlic and thyme, cook one more minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce the volume by about half. Add back the chicken pieces and carcass, lardons, and 1T chopped parsley and add chicken stock to nearly cover the ingredients. Simmer 45 minutes, skimming off any fat or scum that comes to the top. After 45 minutes, remove the chicken carcass and wing pieces along with the thyme branches. Thicken the sauce slightly with the roux and season to taste with the salt, pepper, and a little sugar if needed. Finish with and small pat of butter and another 1T fresh, chopped parley just before serving. Accompany with pasta or roasted potatoes. Enjoy.