Ingredients
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1/2 cup lardons, cut into 1/4 by 1 1/2 inch strips (embarrassing fact, I spent $20 on Courvoisier to make this dish and used turkey bacon because I don')
2 tablespoons olive oil (or more)
2 1/2 lbs ready-cut frying chickens, thoroughly dried (a selection of parts, or all of one kind, I used chicken thighs and removed the skin so they wouldn')
1/4 cup cognac or 1/4 cup armagnac
salt and pepper
1 imported bay leaf (I couldn't find \"imported\", used domestic instead)
1/4 teaspoon thyme
16 -20 small white onions, peeled
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups red wine (Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, or Pinot Noir)
2 cups brown chicken stock or 2 cups beef bouillon (more or less; I used a little less)
1 -2 clove garlic, mashed or minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, trimmed,washed,and quartered
Preparation
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If you are using lardons, saute several minutes in 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy bottomed casserole until lightly browned; remove lardons to a side dish and leave fat in pan; otherwise, film pan with 1/8 inch of oil.
(My weird turkey bacon didn't give up a lot of fat, so I went with a little extra olive oil--).
Heat fat or oil in pan to moderately hot, add chicken, not crowding pan; turn frequently to brown nicely on all sides (my skinless thighs didn't exactly\"brown\" as chicken with skin would have; if I had used white meat I would have left the skin on).
Pour in the Cognac, shake pan a few seconds until bubbling hot, then ignite Cognac with a match.
(What a rush!).
Let flame a minute, swirling pan by its handle to burn off alcohol; extinguish with pan cover.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper; add bay leaf and thyme.
Place onions around the chicken.
Cover and cook slowly 10 minutes, turning once.
Uncover the pan; sprinkle on the flour turning chicken and onions so flour is absorbed; cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice.
Remove from heat, gradually stir and swirl in the wine and enough stock or bouillon to almost cover the chicken.
Add the browned lardons, garlic, and tomato paste.
Cover and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes, then test chicken, remove those pieces that are tender, and continue cooking the rest a few minutes longer.
(I actually cooked it about 15 to 20 minutes longer so it would reduce and become more of a sauce.) Return all chicken to the pan, add mushrooms and simmer 4 to 5 minutes.
Taste carefully, and correct seasoning.
Sauce should be just thick enough to coat chicken and vegetables lightly.
If too thin, boil down rapidly to concentrate; if too thick, thin out with spoonfuls of bouillon.
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