Recipes - Gravenstein Apple Fair 2016

Normand-Style Chicken & Apples in Cream
with Earthworker Farms Salad

Michele Anna Jordan
Serves 4 - 6

The butter in Normandy is salted, unlike butter made in other parts of France. It is also delicious. Normandy is known for its apple cider, too. Many of the foods of this region are easy to duplicate in Sonoma County, including this traditional chicken dish, so warming and welcome on a cold night but, honestly, delicious any time. I like to serve it with a simple green salad with a tart vinaigrette, such as the one that follows.

4 Tbsp        local butter, plus more as needed
3               Gravenstein apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch wedges
                 Kosher salt
                 Black pepper in a mill
4               chicken leg-thighs, bone in, skin on
2 cups        hard cider
1½ cups     heavy cream
2 Tbsp       minced Italian parsley

Melt the butter in a large heavy sauté pan set over medium heat and when it is foamy add the apples in a single layer. Sauté for 2 minutes, turn and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the apples are just tender and lightly browned. Season with a pinch of salt and a few turns of black pepper and use a spatula to transfer the apples to a bowl. Cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper and sauté it, skin side down, in the pan, adding more butter if the pan seems dry. After 5 minutes, turn the chicken and cook 5 minutes more.

Pour the cider into the pan, reduce the heat so that the liquid just simmers, cover and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high and cook until the cider is nearly completely evaporated. Add the cream and when it just begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning.

Transfer the chicken and its sauce to a wide shallow serving bowl. Scatter the Italian parsley on top. Use a large spoon to add the apples at the outer rim of the bowl. Enjoy right away.

Grapefruit-Apple Cider Vinaigrette with EarthWorker Farm Greens
Serves 4 – 6

This vinaigrette takes just minutes to make and you can cut the time by omitting the shallot, a good idea if you don’t have any. There is no reason to run to the store for one. It is adapted from one in my book Vinaigrettes and Other Dressings (Harvard Common Press, 2014, $17.95).

1 small        shallot, minced
2 Tbsp         freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 Tbsp         local apple cider vinegar
½ tsp          ground cardamom
                  kosher salt
                  black pepper in a mill
6 Tbsp         extra virgin olive oil
3 oz             EarthWorker Farm greens, preferably Mark Twang mix

Put the shallot into a small wide-mouth jar or small bowl, add the grapefruit juice, vinegar, cardamom and generous pinch of salt and set aside for a few minutes. Taste the mixture and add a pinch of sugar if the flavor of grapefruit hasn’t blossomed. Add several turns of black pepper, pour in the olive oil, close the jar with its lid and shake well (if using a bowl, stir with a fork.) Taste, correct for salt, and use right away.

This salad dressing will keep for a day but is best right after it is made.

To make the salad, put the greens into a bowl and season lightly with salad. Add the dressing, toss and enjoy right away.

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