Stewed Chicken

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the mushrooms. Peel and thinly slice the carrots into rounds. Thinly slice the celery. Peel and halve the onion. Thinly slice one half; reserve the remaining half. Pick the parsley and thyme leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche and half the thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides; sprinkle the skinless side of the chicken with the remaining thyme. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken, skin side down first, and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned. (You’ll finish cooking the chicken later.) Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan. Set aside.

While the chicken cooks, grate the potatoes and the reserved onion half on the large side of a box grater. Place in a medium and season with salt and pepper. Add the matzoh meal; mix until well combined. Set aside.

Heat the pan of reserved chicken fond on medium-high until hot. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Add the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Add the carrot, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the browned chicken (skin side up), demi-glace and ¾ cup of water. Heat to boiling then reduce the heat to medium. Loosely cover with foil; simmer 13 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the chicken simmers, using your hands, divide the latke mixture into 6 equal portions. Using your hands, squeeze out and discard any excess liquid. Flatten each drained portion into a ¼-inch-thick cake. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a thin layer of oil on medium until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that the mixture immediately sizzles when added to the pan, add the latkes. Cook, occasionally turning with spatula, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt.

Stir all but a pinch of the parsley into the stewed chicken and vegetables. To plate your dish, divide the stewed chicken and vegetables between 2 dishes. Garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve with the latkes and seasoned crème fraîche on the side. Enjoy!