Bar BQ Grills

makes four servings


3 tablespoons butter
18 very small white onions
1½ cups chicken broth
one 3½-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 thick slices peppered bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup Zinfandel or other spicy red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, crushed
herb bouquet (½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs parsley wrapped in cheesecloth)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over moderate heat, add the onions, and brown them lightly on all sides. Add ½ cup of the broth, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the onions for 20 minutes. Set aside.

On a plate, dredge the chicken pieces lightly in ½ cup of flour and set aside.

In a large, deep skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat and drain on paper towels. Add the chicken to the skillet, cook till golden brown on all sides, and transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour to the fat in the skillet and stir for 5 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat, and stir to collect the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 1 cup of broth plus the tomato paste and stir till well blended. Return the chicken to the skillet and add the onions and bacon, the garlic, the herb bouquet, and salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer till the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes, adding more broth if necessary.

Remove and discard the herb bouquet, transfer the chicken, onions, and bacon to a serving platter, and pour the sauce over the top. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007