Chicken fricassee with fresh figs

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 8 figs, purple
• 300 ml port wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 chicken
• 1 large tomato(s), peeled and diced
• 1 stalk(s) Celery, finely diced
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 3 cloves garlic
• 150 ml chicken stock
• 200 g butter, ice-cold
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 day 1 hour 30 minutes

Fricassée de chicken aux figues fraîches

Cut the stems off the figs. Place the figs in a storage jar with a bay leaf and cover with port wine until completely covered. Cover with a plate and let them steep for a day. If you’re in a hurry, you can simmer the figs in the port wine for 20 minutes on very low heat. Cut the chicken into portions, season with salt and pepper. Fry the pieces in 50g butter until golden brown on all sides and keep warm. Sauté the diced shallots in the remaining butter. Drain the butter. Add the coriander, crushed garlic cloves, diced tomatoes, diced celery, and the two remaining bay leaves. Pour in half of the port wine from the fig marinade and add the chicken pieces. Cover and simmer on low heat for half an hour. Meanwhile, reduce the remaining port wine considerably until only a thick syrup remains. Remove the meat from the cooking liquid and keep warm again. Strain the sauce through a sieve and add the chicken stock. Reduce by half. Cut the remaining butter into cubes and gradually stir it into the sauce. The sauce should not be allowed to boil. Toss the pickled figs in the port wine syrup and glaze. Decorators can top each fig with a bay leaf previously dipped in the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and serve with two figs each. Serve with rice.