Poulet A L'Estragon

Fresh tarragon from the garden.

This is typical for me. I made dinner on Sunday for some of our British friends (who are watching our house while we're gone). I was good about taking photos early in the process, but I completely spaced at the end, so I have no photos of the finished dish!

Chicken pieces marinating in tarragon and white wine.

It was nonetheless delicious. I marinated two whole birds, cut up, in fresh tarragon from the garden and a bit of white wine over night. Then the chicken got sautéed. I made a roux in the pan and cooked shallot and garlic in it, then added a bunch more fresh tarragon, white wine, and home-made chicken stock.

Lightly browned chicken pieces.

This became a braising liquid and I braised the chicken in the oven for about an hour and a half (a bit too long, but it was good anyway). When it was time to serve, I removed the chicken, strained the sauce, and added cold butter to monter au beurre, as they say.

The mise-en-place for the braising liquid: butter, shallots, garlic, white wine, chicken stock. Not shown, flour for the roux and chopped tarragon.

The chicken was served with sautéed polenta shapes (half moons and triangles), and fresh spinach that Ken got at the market on Saturday. What a feast! Janet and David brought a lovely bread pudding with peaches and Val and Len brought a pithivier which is a tart in flakey pastry filled with almond paste - and Val added fresh plums from her garden.

Some of the polenta "shapes" browning in the pan.

Two bottles of sparkling Loire Valley wine (Saumur and Vouvray) started us off, then we moved to various reds (Bordeaux, Bergerac, Pays d'Oc). With dessert we enjoyed a special treat: a bottle of zinfandel rosé from California that Len and Val brought!