Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey & Vinegar

This weekend our friends Paddy and George graced us with several gorgeous figs from their tree. Our first thought was of running home and wrapping them in prosciutto as we love to do. We had quite a few, so I started trolling my bookshelf for recipes. It didn't take long to find just the right thing. The minute my fingers graced the binding of the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, I knew I'd hit pay dirt. 

I've been toying with the idea of cooking my way through this book - and last night's dinner may have just sealed the deal. I heart Judy Rodgers and her Roast Chicken with Bread Salad is a major favorite in our kitchen. So stay tuned, more Zuni recipes to come! In the meantime, enjoy this one. Delicious is an understatement!

Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey & Vinegar

serves 4

4 chicken legs (8-9 ounces each)

Salt

About 2 tablespoons mild-tasting olive oil

1 medium  yellow onion, root trimmed, and cut into 8 wedges

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons dry white vermouth

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 bay leaf

a sprig of fresh thyme

a few black peppercorns, barely cracked in a mortar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

8-10 ripe fresh figs - Kadota, Smyrna, Excel, Adriatic or Black Mission

Seasoning the chicken 

(For best flavor - do this 12-24 hours in advance)

Trim excess fat, then season th echicken evenly all over with salt (Zuni recommends a scant 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of chicken). Cover loosely and refrigerate.

Cooking the chicken

Preheat over to 375º.

Pat the chicken legs dry; this will make them less likely to stick. Heat a scant 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, then add the chicken legs, skin side down. The oil should sizzle, not pop explosively, when you add chicken. Adjusting the heat as necessary, cook until the skin is evenly golden, about 8 minutes. Turn the legs over and color only slightly on the other side, about 4 minutes. Pour off the fat.

If your skillet is ovenproof, arrange the onion wedges in the spaces between the chicken legs; otherwise, transfer the chicken to a shallow flameproof braising dish that will easily hold the chicken and onions in a single layer, and add the onions. Add the wine, vermouth, and enough stock to come to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Bring to a simmer and add the bay leaf, thyme, and cracked black peppercorns. 

Place, uncovered, in the over, and cook until the meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone, about 40 minutes. The exposed skin will have truned golden and crispy; the liquid ought to have reduced by about half. Remove from the oven and set on a slight tilt so the fat will collect at one side of the pan.

Combine the vinegar and honey and warm slightly. Taste. The vinegar should dominate, but without making you squint. Trim the stems and cut the figs in half.

Skim as much fat as possible from the braising liquid, then set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and swirl as you reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Distribute the figs evenly around the pan, add about 2 tablespoons of the vinegar-honey syrup, and swirl the pan to diffuse the bubbling, amber syrup without smashing the tender fruit. The sauce will be glossy. Taste - it should be rich and vibrantly sour-sweet. Add more, or all of the syrup, to taste. The vinegar adds a bright but unstable note of acidity, which will fade wiht boiling, so simmer for only a minute or less.

Serve each chicken leg with 2 wedges of sweet, soft onion and 4 or 5 fig halves, bathed in a few spoonfuls of the sauce.