Over the course of its 300-year history, New Orleans’ cuisine has been one of its greatest gifts to the world. Now, as we celebrate the city’s 300th birthday and WWL-TV’s 60th anniversary, our gift to you is a free e-cookbook, with free summer time recipes.
1/2-pound bacon, cut in 1" pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
3 lbs. cut up frying chicken
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups sliced onion
1 cup sliced carrots
1 bottle red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
Beurre manie for the sauce; 3 Tbs flour blended to a paste with 2 Tbs butter
For garnish:
24 small brown braised small white onions (about 1″ in diameter)
3 cups sautéed quartered mushrooms
Herb bouquet
8 parsley springs
1 large bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
3 large cloves of smashed unpeeled garlic
Wrap all herbs and garlic in cheesecloth and tie.
Sauté bacon in large frying pan. Remove bacon and save oil to sauté chicken in.
Choose a large frying pan and brown the chicken on all sides in hot oil, season with salt and pepper, and turn them into a heavy casserole. Remove all but a little fat from the frying pan, add the sliced vegetables and brown them and add all the meat. Deglaze the plan with wine, pouring it into the casserole along with enough stock almost to cover the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and add the herb bouquet. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer slowly, either on the stove or in a preheated 325 degrees oven, until the meat is tender-eat a little piece to check.
Drain through a colander set over a saucepan and return chicken to the casserole. Press juices out of the residue into the cooking liquid, then degrease and boil down the liquid to 3 cups. Off heat, whisk in the beurre manie, then simmer for 2 minutes as the sauce thickens lightly. Correct seasoning and pour over the chicken, folding in the onions and mushrooms. (May be completed in advance)
To serve, bring to a simmer, basting chicken and vegetables with the sauce for several minutes until thoroughly hot throughout.