Braised Chicken With Caramelized Fennel And Endive Food

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, and set aside fronds. In a blender or food processor, pulse about 1/2 cup fronds, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup oil and purée.
• Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise. Slice thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife.
• Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown chicken until skin is crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in pan.
• Stir fennel seeds into skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Add sliced fennel and onion, seasoning with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Pernod and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Lay chicken on top of the fennel-onion mixture. Pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with generous dollops of the fennel frond purée.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS WITH GRAPES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Season chicken legs all over with 3 tsp. salt.
• Swirl 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to coat and heat over medium-high. Place 2 chicken legs, skin side down, in pot, making sure skin is in direct contact with pan. Cook, undisturbed, until dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until golden on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining 2 chicken legs; reserve pot.
• Meanwhile, working one at a time, stand a bulb, root end down, on a cutting board and slice off a short end to create a flat surface. Turn cut side down and slice ½" thick, starting from the top end of bulb so the root end can hold the layers in place while you slice. Discard last ¼" (root end) of each bulb and pop out and discard tougher center from slices. Transfer fennel to a large bowl and add half of the grapes, ½ tsp. salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; toss to coat. Set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and combine broth, honey, chile paste, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in reserved pot. Stir to combine and dissolve salt. Place remaining grapes in pot and arrange chicken legs, skin side up and overlapping if needed, over grapes. Top with dressed fennel and grapes. (Don't worry if it looks crowded: Fennel will soften as it cooks.)
• Transfer pot, uncovered, to oven and roast until fennel is slightly softened, with some crispy, caramelized edges, grapes on top are swollen and browned in spots, and chicken is cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer grapes and fennel to a bowl and chicken to a platter. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring braising liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half (you should have about 1 cup liquid), 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and fennel fronds.
• Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with fennel and grapes alongside.

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL & LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim fennel bulbs, and set aside fronds. In a blender or food processor, pulse about 1/2 cup fronds, garlic, lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Add 1/3 cup oil and purée.
• Halve fennel bulbs lengthwise. Slice thinly with a mandoline or very sharp knife.
• clean and thinly slice leaks.
• Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown chicken until skin is crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in pan.
• Stir fennel seeds into skillet and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sliced fennel, leeks and onion, seasoning with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Add Pernod and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the skillet; cook until liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Lay chicken on top of the fennel-onion mixture. Pour 3 tablespoons water into the pan. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover and cook off any excess liquid if necessary. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve chicken and vegetables topped with generous dollops of the fennel frond purée.

LEMON AND SAGE ROASTED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED ENDIVE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove any excess fat off chicken. Slice lemons paper-thin. Under the skin of the chicken place 2 slices of lemon and 2 leaves of sage. Heat butter in large skillet over high flame. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in skillet until golden brown. Turn over and sear other side. Place entire skillet on wire rack in oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and serve over caramelized endive.
• In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add your garlic and shallots and cook until translucent about 2 minutes. Place endive in the saucepan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, until endive is tender.

CARAMELIZED ENDIVES WITH CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Remove and discard a layer of exterior leaves from each endive so that only smooth and unblemished leaves are showing. Trim 1/4 inch from the bottoms and discard. Halve each endive lengthwise, keeping the leaves connected at the base.
• Heat the broiler to high. Set a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and swirl to coat. When butter begins to sizzle, arrange endive halves in one layer, cut side down. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Adjust the heat so that the endives cook slowly and do not scorch. Turn endives over, sprinkle with salt, and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together crème fraîche, mustard and lemon juice. When endives are cooked on both sides, smear the cut surfaces liberally with this mixture.
• Place skillet under broiler, about 3 inches away from heat source. Broil for about 5 minutes, until well browned, crisped and bubbling.
• In a small bowl, combine tarragon, chives and parsley.
• Transfer endives to a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle with any remaining juices in pan. Sprinkle herbs on top and serve immediately.

CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND BRIE DIP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the fennel for 6 minutes or until soft and caramelized. Combine the caramelized fennel with the thyme, Brie, and Parmesan in an ovenproof serving dish.
• Just before serving, put the dish under a hot broiler until the dip is bubbling and golden brown.
• Sprinkle chile flakes over the dip and serve it with radicchio leaves and lavash crackers or toasted bread.

QUICK-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED FENNEL AND ENDIVE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoons salt and pepper. In a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoons butter with the oil. Add chicken in a single layer and cook, without moving, until browned underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until second side is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; drain fat from pan.
• Meanwhile, trim fennel bulbs (chop and reserve 1/4 cup fronds) and cut bulbs into quarters; core and thinly slice. Trim ends of endive and quarter heads lengthwise. Chop shallot.
• Return pan to medium-high heat. Add wine and broth and stir, scraping bottom, to release the browned bits from the pan. Add chicken, fennel, endive, shallot and remaining butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally (pan will be very full at first), until chicken is no longer pink at the bone, about 15 minutes. (If the chicken you buy weighs more than 2 pounds, you may need to simmer it a few more minutes).
• Add cream to pan, increase heat to high, and cook uncovered, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a shallow bowl and sprinkle with parsley and reserved fennel fronds.