>"kilikini"
>
>Jill, are you saying that chicken stew is basically chicken soup thickened?
>'Cause the recipe you described (without dumplings or flour) is exactly how
>I make my chicken soup. If all you have to do is thicken the broth to make
>stew, then I'd rather do that than make soup.

Preparing a stock and then adding back the meat and thickening seems in every
respect counter productive for producing a stew, borders on boiling bbq
spareribs... if you're making soup then call it soup. I prepare chicken stew
using the same method I use for beef stew, to me stew prep should not extract
the flavor of the meat but instead the concept is to enhance the meat with
flavorful additions.... essentially first I brown the meat... here're a couple
of basics:

CHICKEN AND ROOT VEGETABLE STEW

Make this almost entirely ahead (up to two days), and simply reheat before
serving. Crusty bread and a salad round out the main course. Serve Sauvignon
Blanc alongside.
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 chicken thighs, well trimmed
2 cups chopped onions
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
2 large boiling potatoes, peeled, each cut into 12 pieces
3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 large parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 medium rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium turnips, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

3/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add
chicken and cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch; transfer
browned chicken to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from
pot. Add onions to pot and sauté over medium heat until golden, about 8
minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add wine and 1/4 cup marjoram and
simmer until wine evaporates, about 4 minutes. Return chicken to pot. Arrange
vegetables over chicken. Pour chicken broth over. Cover and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are
tender, about 30 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer chicken and vegetables to large clean
bowl. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Mix cream
and cornstarch in medium bowl. Stir into liquid in pot. Simmer until thickened
to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and vegetables to pot.
(Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, then refrigerate uncovered until
cold. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Bring stew to simmer, stirring gently. Add
remaining 2 tablespoons marjoram and serve.

Bon Appétit
---

CHICKEN STEW WITH TOMATOES AND WHITE BEANS

4 bacon slices, chopped
6 chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 2 1/2 pounds)
All purpose flour
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 14 1/2-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
3/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), drained

Cook chopped bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using
slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt
and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Add to drippings in
pot and sauté until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon,
transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from
pot. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to pot; sauté 4 minutes. Add bacon,
stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, red wine, basil and oregano. Bring to boil,
scraping up browned bits. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot.
Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add
cannellini; simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bon Appétit
---

AUTHENTIC COQ AU VIN
A true coq au vin is made with the master of the farmyard, a rooster. If you
can't find such a beast, use a good-size roasting chicken, and reduce the
cooking time (cook it for about one hour, or until the meat is tender and
cooked but not falling from the bone).

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
One 7-8 pound rooster ( 3 and one half to 4 pound stewing hen or roasting
chicken), cut in serving pieces, with giblets
One half cup cup calvados, brandy, poire william or other liqueur (if using a
chicken, reduce the amount of liqueur to one-quarter cup)
12 ounces slab bacon, rind removed and cut into 1-inch chunks (use 8 ounces if
cooking a chicken)
1 slice air-cured ham, diced
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bottle hearty red wine
One bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley wrapped together)
2 cloves garlic, green germ removed
2 cups chicken stock

For the garnish:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To thicken the sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Melt the butter in a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat. When the butter is
hot, brown the rooster on all sides, doing so in two batches if necessary.
Standing back and making sure your hair is tied back and your clothes are not
over the heat, add the liqueur, then flame it by lighting a match and holding
it just above the pot. The liqueur will catch fire and flames will leap into
the air and burn out within 1 minute.

Remove the chicken from the pan and add the bacon. Brown it on all sides. While
the bacon is browning, mince the ham with the liver and the gizzard. When the
bacon is browned, add the chicken back to the pan and season with salt and
pepper. Pour the wine over all. Stir in the ham and the giblets, add the
bouquet garni and the garlic, and pour in just enough chicken stock to cover
the chicken. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat so it is simmering,
cover and cook until the chicken is tender but not falling from the bone (1-1/2
hours for a rooster; about 1 hour for chicken).

Make the garnish:
While the rooster is cooking, heat the butter for the mushrooms over medium
heat. When it is foaming, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently,
until the mushrooms are tender and their juices have evaporated, 5 to 7
minutes. Season lightly, remove from the heat and reserve.

Make the sauce:
Blend the butter and flour in a small bowl to a homogeneous paste. When the
chicken is cooked, about 1/4 cup of the cooking juices into the flour and
butter mixture, then pour that mixture into the pan holding the chicken. Stir
it in and let it cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened. Taste for
seasoning and remove from the heat. Let the dish sit at least 8 hours, or
overnight, before serving.

Serves 6 to 8 (if using a rooster); serves 4 to 6 (if using a chicken).

Letter from France
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---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
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"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."