Grand Mere Recipes

POTATOES GRANDMERE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Layer sliced potatoes in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish and season with salt and white pepper.
• Combine cream, mustard, garlic,** parmesan cheese and butter in a heavy saucepan and heat just to the boiling point.
• Pour over potatoes. **Add some of the reserved cheese, if using).

CHICKEN GRAND-MERE

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 T. butter and the oil in Dutch oven or deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add several pieces chicken and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and repeat with remaining pieces.
• Reduce heat to medium; add onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour off all but 1 T. fat. Carefully pour Cognac into pan and scrape bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Return chicken to pan, placing breasts on top. Pour in wine and broth and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered until chicken is tender, 30-40 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to warmed serving platter; cover with foil and keep warm. Cook sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by almost half, 12-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry bacon in separate large skillet over medium heat, until golden, about 8 minutes.
• While bacon is cooking, cut potatoes into 3/4-inch dice and add to bacon in skillet. Fry, stirring frequently, until golden, 5-7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon and potatoes to bowl.
• Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms to potatoes.
• Spoon off fat from sauce. Add mushrooms, potatoes, and bacon and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until hot, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half the parsley and the remaining 2 T. butter. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve hot.

POULET DE GRAND-MERE

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt. In a large saute pan, heat enough clarified butter to coat the pan over medium-high heat. Add half the thyme and continue to heat. Place 2 of the chicken breasts in the pan skin-side down and sear until golden brown, basting the flesh side with fat from the pan. Flip the breasts, brown on the other side and baste. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Cook the other 2 breasts in the same manner, adding in the remaining thyme sprigs.
• Place the baking sheet with the seared breasts in the oven and bake until the chicken is firm to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes. Allow to rest before slicing.
• For the just: While the chicken is in the oven, pour off any excess fat in the saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Add enough clarified butter to coat the bottom of the pan and add the bacon lardons. Cook until crispy, and then remove to a plate and reserve. Remove any excess fat from the pan if necessary. Add in the onions and sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add in the mushrooms and season with salt. Cook the mushrooms until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add in the white wine and scrap up all the brown bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan. Cook down until the wine has reduced by half. Add in half of the chicken stock and let simmer about 5 minutes. Add in the remaining chicken stock and reduce until slightly thickened Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter. Taste and season if necessary.
• Serve the sliced chicken with the jus and garnish with chopped parsley.

GRAND MERE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and return to a boil. Add pearl onions and cook about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Increase heat and add onions and mushrooms; continue cooking until vegetables are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm until serving.