A Chicken Stew with Lovely Riesling & Winners of the Mark Bittman iPhone App
I never need an excuse to uncork a bottle of Riesling.
It’s one of my favorite varietals because it goes splendidly with sweet-spicy-tangy Asian dishes, boasts a relatively low alcohol percentage compared to many of today’s fruit-bomb wines, and is downright easy to quaff.
But if I ever did need a reason to break open a bottle of this lovely, flowery, aromatic white, this dish would do the trick.
“Chicken in Riesling” is a recipe (see below) from the dearly departed Gourmet magazine.
Think of it as a quicker, lighter version of the classic coq qu vin, which is fortified with red wine and typically takes far longer than the hour needed to make this Riesling-based one.
I think of it as the ultimate in satisfying chicken stews. It’s got a comforting quality about it, what with the whole, little red potatoes (I left them unpeeled, too) and large chunks of carrots bobbing in it. But it also has a slightly luxurious nature from the mere 1/2 cup of creme fraiche or heavy cream that you stir in just before serving.
The result is a pot of tender chicken in a pool of brothy, creamy sauce.
And best yet?
Even after adding the Riesling to the pot, there’s still plenty left in the bottle to enjoy a glass or two with this dinner.
And now, without further adieu, the six winners of the Mark Bittman “How to Cook Everything” iPhone app:
As you recall, for this contest, I asked readers to name the one thing they wished this gifted New York Times food writer, known for his no-nonsense approach to cooking, could make easier in their life. Here are the winners who had the best responses: