Chicken, mushroom and tarragon ragout

Portion size: Serves 6
Hands-on time 1 hour 10 min. Simmering time 1 hour
Difficulty: easy

Dairy-free

Freezable

Gluten-free

Debora Robertson

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This traditional French chicken and mushroom ragout from food writer Debora Robertson is perfect both on its own, or served with mash or rice.

Debora says: “You can eat this ragout as it is, quite rich and soupy – and so nourishing you can almost feel it doing you good. Or serve it on a heap of buttery mash and follow it up with a lovely nap. If you want a creamier sauce, you could stir in a few tablespoons of crème fraîche at the end.”

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Before you start

Debora says: “I use chestnut mushrooms here, but you can use any mushrooms, or a combination of different types, depending on what you have. I use the small turnips so easily found in French greengrocers at this time of year, but if you have a hard time finding them, use ordinary ones or substitute more celeriac.”

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Ingredients

5 tbsp olive oil
1 chicken, about 1.4kg, jointed into 8 (or 8 pieces of chicken – I like a mixture of bone-in, skin-on thighs and breasts)
3 banana shallots (echalion shallots), halved lengthways
400g chestnut mushrooms, larger ones halved
2 large onions, finely sliced
5 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
2 celery sticks, chopped
4 tbsp cognac or brandy (optional)
250ml white wine
750ml chicken or veg stock
320g carrots, peeled and halved lengthways if large
350g small turnips, peeled and quartered
200g celeriac, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
20g parsley, fine stems and leaves only, chopped
20 tarragon leaves, chopped
1 tbsp dijon mustard

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Method

Add 2 tbsp of the oil to a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper. Add them, skin-side down, to the pan and brown all over (you may have to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan), transferring to a large, heavy-based casserole as you go.
Add the shallots to the pan, cut-side down, and cook them just long enough to caramelise the cut side. Add them to the casserole with the chicken.
Add another 2 tbsp oil to the frying pan, then tip in the mushrooms and a good pinch of salt. Fry until they release their liquid and begin to take on some colour – you give the final dish a lot more flavour this way. Add them to the casserole.
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Lower the heat to low-medium, add the final 1 tbsp oil, then toss in the onions, thyme, bay and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the onions, stirring from time to time, until very soft. This will take about 20 minutes. Add the celery and cook for a few more minutes.
If you’re using cognac/brandy, add it to the pan, let it warm slightly, then carefully light it with a long match or a barbecue lighter. When the flames die down, pour in the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then pour the contents of the pan into the casserole.
Add the carrots, turnips and celeriac to the casserole, give everything a good stir, then put the casserole over a medium heat. Bring to a bare simmer, then partially cover and cook gently for 1 hour, stirring halfway through, until the chicken is very tender. Add the parsley and tarragon, then check the seasoning before serving.