Ingredients

• 750ml/1¼ pints full-bodied red wine
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 3-4 shallots
• chopped
• 2 sticks celery
• sliced
• 125g/4½oz streaky bacon
• cut into cubes
• or bacon lardoons
• 6-8 chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp plain flour seasoned with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp brandy
• 300mI11fl oz chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bouquet garni (2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 strip orange zest
• parsley stalks
• sprig of tarragon
• all tucked inside the outer layer of a leek and tied up with string)
• 16 white pickling onions or shallots
• peeled
• 250g/8oz small button mushrooms
• 50g/2oz unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• to garnish
• 25g/1oz plain flour
• 25g/1oz butter
• softened

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
• Pour the red wine into a saucepan and boil for ten minutes or until reduced by nearly a quarter.
• Meanwhile
• heat half a tablespoon of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sauté the chopped shallots
• celery and bacon for five minutes or until lightly browned then transfer from the pan to a dish. Return the pan to the heat then add a tablespoon of the oil.
• Put the seasoned flour into a strong freezer bag
• add the chicken thighs and shake well to coat all pieces of chicken. Once coated
• add them to the hot pan
• skin-side-down
• and fry them for 3-4 minutes on each side
• or until well browned.
• Pour off any excess fat from the pan as best you can
• then carefully pour in the brandy and flambé - standing well back while you do so. Shake the pan for several seconds until the flames subside. Transfer the chicken thighs to a casserole pot
• along with any pan juices
• and add the sautéed shallots
• celery and bacon.
• Add the chicken stock
• tomato purée
• garlic and sugar to the reduced red wine then pour the whole lot over the chicken in the casserole. Add the bouquet garni
• cover the casserole with a lid and cook in the oven for 50 minutes to an 1 hour.
• While the chicken is cooking
• sauté the onions and mushrooms together in the remaining oil and butter over a moderate heat
• shaking the pan occasionally to roll them around and colour them as evenly as possible. Add these to the casserole 30 minutes before the end of cooking.
• Remove the casserole from the oven
• add salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste. If you want to thicken the sauce slightly then make the beurre manié by mixing the butter and flour together into a paste and whisk in tiny pieces at a time (this needs care when adding - too heavy handed and the sauce will become too thick and be ruined).
• Serve straight from the casserole pot
• or arrange chicken
• mushrooms and onions on a warm serving dish and spoon the red wine sauce over. Garnish with the chopped parsley.