Comfort food

As you all know in winter there is nothing more comforting than a big ol' bowl of steaming soup or a big plate of hearty stew with a thick slice of bread. In my house everybody knows 2 things about me 1) I am a chocolate lover and 2) I am a meat and potato gal, any combo will do, beef and mashed potatoes, chicken and scalloped potatoes, Shepperd pie...you name it and I will like it, and if cheese is involved it's even better !!! This next recipe had all the right ingredients and made it our new favorite family meal.

Stoved chicken   

Ingredients :

I doubled the recipe since I have to feed 3 children and a bottomless stomach husband!!

2 lbs potatoes cut into into1/4 in slices
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 stick of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large bacon strips chopped, I used pancetta.
4 large chicken joints, halved
2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven 300F

Make a thick layer of half the potato slices int the base of a large, heavy casserole, then cover with half the onion. Sprinkle with half the thyme and salt and ground black pepper.

Heat the butter and the oil in a large frying pan, then brown the bacon and chicken. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and bacon to the casserole. Reserve the fat in the pan. When cool, store in the fridge and use another time for roasting potatoes (yummy more potatoes!!!)

Tuck the bay leaf in between the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the remaining thyme over, then cover with remaining onion, followed by a layer of overlapping potato slices. Season.

pour the stock into the casserole. Brush the top layer of the sliced potatoes with the reserved fat from the frying pan, then cover tightly and cook in preheated oven for 2 hours, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender.

Preheat the broiler to high. Uncover the casserole, place under the grill and cook until the slices or potato are beginning to brown and crisp. Serve hot.

Bon appetit.