Help with Calvados Braised Chicken recipe

M

mboley

Well-known member
I'm in a recipe club with my Mom's group. We are meeting once a month and bringing recipes we've wanted to try, centered around a theme. There are usually about 5- 8 moms (and assorted children) and we each just try a bit of all the dishes.

Last month was pizza (made the 4 cheese pizza from BA last month).

This month is Apples. And we needed a main course type recipe. I thought the Calvados Braised chicken recipe (see link) sounded great, but I'm wondering if I can do it with different cuts of chicken to make it easier for a crowd? Or cook it and pull meat of the bones when it is finished?

Any suggestions or better ideas??? Thanks!

Melissa

http://www.finerkitchens.com/swap/forum1/29831_REC_Calvados-Braised_Chicken_With_Apples

 
I make a similar recipe with apples and tarragon. I would not take the chicken off the bone. You

may end up with mush. But I would think that any cut of chicken that is meaty would work well. I do mine with breasts as well as the leg/thigh portion.

Do you have a Joy of Cooking?

 
I made this a few nights ago. you might want to consider using 2 cups of cider and

reducing it to one cup for more flavor. hope it works for you smileys/smile.gif

 
Randi, in the thread up higher when you said you made this, I didn't>>>

understand if you used the Calvados? Did you use the cognac instead? Aren't they different tastes? I don't know much about the taste of different boozes but isn't Calvados apple flavored? Would that change the flavor? I really should be asking Marge/CND right? ;^) She would know!

 
I think the Calvados was too $$$$. Have you priced yours, or do you have some handy?

 
Calvados...ah superb, if you can afford)

expensive, or I've become so poor. I don't cook much with it but when I do, I do so very carefully.

But M...here is the recipe I was referring to. If you used calvados in it, it would be divine but it is too everyday to warrant the calvados. I'm mentioning it here just to add my comments as they pertain to your question. (I hope that makes sense

 
REC: French Casserole Chicken

French Casserole Chicken

from The Joy of Cooking

5 lb. Of fowl, disjointed

Sear the pieces in 1/4 c. butter. I pepper them at this time too, although the recipe omits pepper entirely.

Add:
1/4 c. dry white wine. (I add more of course)

Remove chicken from the pot. Place in the pot:
2 pared, cored, sliced tart apples (use firm ones)
5 chopped clery ribs with leaves (one recipe in which celery cannot be omitted)
1 minced onion
3 sprigs parsley
½ t. salt
1/4 t. paprika

cover and cook gently until tender. Stir in:
2 ½ .t flour
2 c. chicken stock

Cook and stir the sauce until it boils. Add the chicken. (At this point, I also add parsleyed dumplings). Cover and simmer until it is tender, about an hour.

Remove chicken to a hot ovenproof serving dish. Strain the sauce (why? the ingredients are wonderful to eat as is).

Warm over hot water and add to the sauce:

1/3 c. sour cream (I use more, my hips love it)

Correct the seasonings.

Ad 1 T. fresh tarragon (or basil) I always make this when my tarragon is in the garden

Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle generously with:
Parmesan cheese (I omit this last step entirely)
Place under a broiler until cheese is bubbly.

Calvados would be heavenly in this. It certainly does have an apple flavour and is high in alcohol. But I would never use it in this recipe as it would be in there throughout all the cooking.

Note...no carrots!!

 
hi Orchid, I used cognac. I don't think it made a huge difference, taste wise, but it sure

did purse wise! I think reducing the cidar it what is needed with this recipe. I can't imagine the Calvados imparting that much of an apple taste to worry about it.

of course, that's just MHO '-))

 
I'm partial to dark meat anyway, but it holds up especially well when braised

Maybe all thighs or all drumsticks would be easiest to serve a crowd.

 
OK. This morning I thought of the perfect and worthy use of calvados in cuisine.....

foie gras.

Let's hear how you like your chicken when it's done mboley.

 
Overnight my brain started working and I remembered that a few years ago>>>

I had a recipe I wanted to try and it called for Calvados. I went to the liquor store and when I saw the price I was shocked and told the manager of the store that it was for cooking and maybe I didn't need to make it after all! He told me that he had many chefs that bought cases of Apple Jack to use in their cooking at their restaurants so I figured if it was good enough for them, it would work for me. It was much less expensive.

 
Substitutions for Calvados

A good website for substitutions that I like is gourmetsleuth. They suggest applejack or armagnac.

www.gourmetsleuth.com

 
Apple Drink for Recipe Club

Melissa-

Have you every tried Aspen Mulling Spices? It's great for hot apple cider (even better with a little Tuaca added to it).

-Peggy

 
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