Our friend in Montreal is a fabulous cook. For years I have tried to replicate the sauce she serves with chicken or game hens. The sauce from this recipe comes close to the rich pan sauce Jeannot makes so effortlessly.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup flour

• 3-lb. skin on chicken parts (I use thighs, or you can substitute 2 Cornish Game Hens, quartered)

• 2 slices bacon, roughly chopped

• 3 tbsp. olive oil

• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1⁄2 cup dry sherry

• 3 Tbs. Brandy or Cognac

• 2 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh Rosemary

• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into 1⁄4" cubes

• 1 tsp Dijon or Brown Mustard

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°.

1. Place flour in a bowl (or paper bag); set aside.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour; set aside.

3. Heat bacon in a 12" ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until its fat renders, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a bowl; set aside. Leave the flavorful bacon fat in the skillet.

4. Add olive oil to skillet, and working in 2 batches, add chicken, and cook, turning once, until well browned on both sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil and set aside.

5. Pour off excess fat and save.

6. Add garlic to the skillet along with 2 Tbs. reserved chicken fat and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

7. Add stock and sherry, and return chicken to the skillet, skin-side up; sprinkle with reserved bacon along with parsley, and then dot with butter.

8. Transfer skillet to oven, and cook, basting twice during cooking, until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes;

9. Remove chicken from sauce and tent

10. Strain sauce; reserve sauce and separate grease

11. Use reserved chicken fat and 1 Tbs. flour to make a roux; mix well until roux is the consistency of thick sauce and slightly browned.

12. Add strained sauce to roux whisking constantly to avoid clumps in the sauce; add a bit of chicken broth if sauce is too thick.

13. Add 3 Tbs. Brandy/Cognac and bring to a boil

14. Add 1 tsp mustard; mix well; bring to a boil while whisking; pour over chicken; serve.

Recipe adapted from https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Dolores-Brokenhearted-Chicken/

Inspired by my dear friend Jeanne Renaud.