Chicken With Figs (pollo Con Higos)

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 (4 lb) chicken, cut into 10 pieces each
• oil
• 2 lbs dried figs, cut in half or 1 pint fresh fig
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 lb thick slab bacon, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped (2 inch pieces)
• 1 large spanish onion, chopped (2 inch pieces)
• 3 stalks celery, chopped (2 inch pieces)
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup cognac
• 1 (48 ounce) can chicken broth
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 pour enough boiling water over the figs in a heatproof bowl to cover them completely.
• 2 add 1 tbs. sugar to figs.
• 3 let stand until the figs are softened, about 20 minutes, depending on your figs. (you don’t need to do this if you are using fresh figs.).
• 4 cut off the skin from the slab bacon, then cut the bacon into ½ inch slices. (to remove the skin from the bacon, start by using a paring knife to separate the skin from the fat at one corner, then lift the skin up as you continue cutting, making it easier to see what you’re doing.).
• 5 cut the slices crosswise into ½ inch strips.
• 6 toss the bacon pieces into a large cold skillet and put the pan over medium heat.
• 7 cook the bacon, stirring it once or twice, until it starts to give up its fat.
• 8 cook, stirring often, until it is well browned, about 10 minutes.
• 9 scoop the bacon onto paper towels with a slotted spoon and set aside, then pour off almost all the fat from the pan reserving about 1 tbs. of fat.
• 10 add the celery, onion, carrot, and thyme to reserved fat and cook, still over medium heat, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• 11 sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir everything together until the flour coats the vegetables and picks up all the fat.
• 12 adjust the heat to low and keep stirring until there are no traces of raw flour sticking to the vegetables, which would give an unpleasant taste to the finished sauce.
• 13 stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two.
• 14 take the pan off the heat and pour in the cognac. return the pan to the heat and boil until the cognac is almost evaporated.
• 15 stand back from the pan once you add the cognac; there is a chance it could burst into flames.
• 16 pour the broth into the pan, stirring to dissolve the flour.
• 17 toss in the bay leaves and cloves and bring to a boil.
• 18 adjust the heat so the sauce is at a gentle boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
• 19 season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
• 20 pour enough vegetable oil into a large deep skillet to lightly coat the bottom.
• 21 heat over medium-high heat until the oil is rippling.
• 22 add as many pieces of chicken skin side down to the pan as will fit without crowding.
• 23 cook, turning once, until dark golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. the chicken doesn’t have to be cooked through; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
• 24 transfer the browned pieces to a large paellera or dutch oven and brown the rest of the chicken, in batches if necessary.
• 25 skim off any foam or fat that rises to the surface of the sauce as it cooks.
• 26 strain the sauce, discard the vegetables and add sauce to the browned chicken.
• 27 drain the figs and discard the liquid.
• 28 scatter the bacon and figs over the chicken, breaking up some of the figs as you go to help the sauce thicken.
• 29 bring the sauce to a boil, cover the paellera and cook until the chicken is tender and the figs are very soft and have started to dissolve into the sauce, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• 30 serve with yellow rice.
• 31 * if your stovetop is occupied, you can finish cooking this dish in an oven preheated to 350°f it will take about the same amount of time as the stovetop version. handle the wide, heavy pan carefully when moving it into and out of the oven.
• 32 * if using fresh figs, wash them gently and cut them into quarters before adding. otherwise, proceed as above.