This "composed" stew isn't just a jumble of ingredients cooked together. Instead, each vegetable is added separately so they lightly poach in the rich, thick sauce and retain their texture.
Ingredients
4 chicken wings
100g butter
4 chicken thighs
2 cups button mushrooms, halved
4 thick rashers bacon, cut into lardons
1 brown onion, sliced
½ cup flour
½ cup white wine
1½ litres chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
½ small savoy cabbage, divided into two wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
½ head broccoli, separated into florets
a handful of green beans, tailed
100ml pouring cream
Method
1. Joint the chicken wings and put the wing tips to one side – they're not needed in this dish. Heat a little of the butter in a large, wide, heavy-lidded saucepan. Fry the chicken thighs and wings until well browned on the outside but not yet cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In the same pan, fry the mushrooms until well browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the bacon and fry until browned, then add the onion and remaining butter and cook until the onions soften. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until a roux forms. Add the wine and chicken stock a little at a time, stirring constantly to remove any lumps from the roux until you have a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Add the bay leaves, thyme, cabbage wedges and carrots, reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes.
3. Slice the chicken thighs and add with the wings to one section of the pot. Add the mushrooms to another section. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the broccoli and beans in their own sections. Simmer for a further minute, then taste and adjust for seasoning again (it will likely need a little more salt). Pour the cream over the stew and serve.
If you like this recipe, try Adam Liaw's Caramel french toast with marmalade