Bastille Day: Jamie's Chicken and Vine Tomatoes

Jamie’s issue 39, June 2013 could keep me cooking all summer.  However, this is the last one I’m making for a while.  In this recipe, Jamie insists that the tomatoes be cooked on the vine.  Why?  I don’t know.  He’s rich and can do what he wants.  But it was a good idea that amused/bemused the lunch guests.  So that’s why.

This is an easy, one dish recipe that delivers big on flavor.  You just brown the chicken before, mix it in an enormous bowl with the rest of the ingredients, then dump everything into a gigantic baking pan and roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  You could feed a crowd!  We were only 7 and we had the obligatory courses to get through, but you could see several people yearning for seconds, but prevented from partaking because of the deluge to come.

We began with marinated Paris mushrooms and garlic/parsley croutons.  Too delicious!

If possible, I like to get candid shots of the guests at these meals but it is difficult.  I think many find the camera instrusive or feel they have to pose.

I just noticed today that Etienne wears Matrix sunglasses.  It’s cool.  Whatever.

M. Parret always has a “Jean” Wayne look that says, Oui, I’m cool, but in a French kind of  way :D

I absolutely adore fresh French haricots beurres (wax beans) and this salad with chorizo, red bell pepper and zucchini ribbons was fabulous https://cookinginsens.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/haricot-beurre-salad-with-chorizo/!  This time I mixed everything together and served it warm.

Anyway.  The cheese.  Huge discussion today on whether 1) wine should continue to be drunk during the salad course.  Non.  2) salad should be eaten with the cheese.  Non.  3) wine should be drunk with the cheese, and should it be red.  Oui.  Very interesting as I ate my salad with cheese and guzzled more Champagne.  Etienne was slightly annoyed :D

M. Parret made a cherry tart for dessert, but after the cheese course, my eyes sort of glaze over and it was served and eaten before I thought to take a picture.  Next time.

Marinated Mushrooms

2 lbs brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

Juice of one lemon

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and pepper

Mix everything together and refrigerate for 2 hours.  Saute the mushrooms with its marinade in a frying pan until slightly browned.  Serve with garlic parsley croutons https://cookinginsens.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/fishermans-chowder-with-garlic-parsley-croutons/.

Jamie’s Chicken and Vine Tomatoes

10 chicken thighs, skin on

1 lb mixed sized tomatoes on the vine

1/2 lb baby courgettes, halved vertically

2 cups of sourdough bread, cubed

1/2 bunch of fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup cherries, stoned and halved

2 tbsp olive oil

5 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Brown the chicken thighs in a hot skillet on both sides.  In a large bowl toss the chicken and all the rest of the ingredients together, then pour into a large baking pan, positioning the chicken on top, skin side up.  Cook at 350 F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the chicken is browned and cooked through.