Marion Cunningham must really like this recipe! It’s in both her Lost Recipes
I’d been looking for something to do with that peach vinegar I made the other day and last night decided that Chicken Saute with Indian Blood Peach Vinegar was the ticket. I also had that huge bag of spinach from Costco to play with and tried a different creamed spinach recipe that seemed much less work than my favorite. Alas, it was less work–and less result. Decent, but not great. And I’d just as soon eat the plain steamed spinach my kids adore, which is, let’s be frank, much healthier anyway. They’re content with some fresh squeezed lemon juice on it and think that’s all spinach needs. I bow to their superior wisdom. I did just plant spinach, so we’ll see how that goes.
The chicken was fantastic, however. I’m not sure I could taste the peaches in this, but like to think so. I think it would be heavenly with rice vinegar, which is a bit softer somehow. Of course, sauteed chicken is pretty dang good no matter what. Simple bone-in chicken pieces, unbreaded and untouched, fried in butter and oil till browned, then some liquid is added and the pan is covered, until the chicken is done. You may or may not do anything after that. I did this with chicken thighs because that’s what I had in the freezer.
Chicken Saute in Vinegar
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs
- 4-6 Tbs butter and/or olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup vinegar red wine, rice, peach!, whatever
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil and/or most of the butter, saving a bit for the final step. Salt and pepper the chicken while the butter is heating, then brown the chicken on all sides over medium high heat for about 10 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of the vinegar plus the water. Then cover the pan and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the chicken is done.
- Put the chicken on your serving dish and keep warm.
- Add the garlic and cook a minute or so, until softened and smelling heavenly. Add the rest of the vinegar and cook down a few minutes.
- Add the last bit of butter, a tablespoon or two (and a tablespoon of tomato paste if you’d like!). Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with tarragon and parsley.
Somehow I am just now seeing this comment! You just made my day. Laurie Colwin! I love her writing and recipes.
This is like old times at a new place. Am very impressed with what I’ve read so far. It’s a place I’d like to linger but I’ll have to come back. I did want to mention that I enjoyed the personality you add to your recipes. It reminds me of my favorite food writer of all time, a woman who would have been around 55 by now. She died of a brain tumor, but not before she wrote some great stuff for Bon Appetite, or maybe it was Gourmet. Her name was Laurie something. This was back in the 80s. Did you ever read her?