Bocuse POULET AU VINAIGRE
This Paul Bocuse version features a butter sauce made from a vinegar reduction, reminiscent of the technique used in a beurre blanc.
The poulet au vinaigre from Paul Bocuse is one of the simplest versions there is for this recipe. Originating from the town of Lyon this recipe can be made in a variety of ways and many chefs have added their own twist over the years.
Note: After trying the recipe from Paul Bocuse's book, The Complete Bocuse, I found the vinegar measurement to be too high, resulting in an overly sharp sauce. Therefore, I have adjusted the measurements to make the dish more balanced and appealing to a wider audience. It's essential to use a quality aged red wine vinegar; otherwise, the sauce can be overly sharp.
INGREDIENTS
· A good quality chicken (ideally grain-fed), weighing 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)
· 4 shallots, about 200 g (7 oz) in total, finely diced
· 150 g (5.3 oz) butter
· Two sprigs of thyme
· 2 small bay leaves
· 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) aged red wine vinegar (ideally aged in oak barrels, yes this makes a difference)
MISE EN PLACE
Cut the chicken into 6 to 8 pieces and season each piece with salt and black pepper.
Cut the butter into rough cubes and keep the 100 g (3.5 oz) and 50 g (1.8 oz) portions separate.
Method
Begin by melting 100 g (3.5 oz) of the butter over medium heat in a sauté pan or Dutch oven. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken pieces and sear gently for around 5 minutes they become a light golden color.
Add the thyme and bay leaves, cover with a lid, and transfer the pan or pot to the oven. Let the chicken cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken pieces are just about cooked through.
Once the chicken is ready, remove each piece from the pan and place them onto a tray or plate. Pour 3 tablespoons of the cooking juices over the chicken pieces to prevent them from drying out, then cover with foil and keep warm in the oven while you make the sauce.
To make the sauce, reduce the cooking juices left in the pan over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add all the shallots and cook them in the reduced juices for another 5 minutes.
Now add the red wine vinegar and reduce it by half, or until the sauce becomes semi-syrupy. At this stage, turn off the heat.
Finish the sauce by stirring the remaining 50 g (1.8 oz) butter into the sauce in small amounts, using a wooden spoon. This process is known as "monter la sauce" and will thicken the sauce.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Remove the chicken from the oven and pour any remaining juices into the vinegar sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish, give the sauce a final stir, and pour it over the chicken. Serve hot and enjoy!
TIPs
If the sauce tastes too sharp for you, just dilute it with some cream or reduced chicken stock until you reach the desired level of sharpness.
When choosing a wine to accompany the dish, consider a light-bodied red such as Pinot Noir or a young Beaujolais.