A good, old classic from the borderland between France and Germany — Alsace. Traditionally, the dish was prepared in a baeckeoffe: a glazed clay pot, often decorated with the family's colors or mark. On Sunday morning, the family would drop off their baeckeoffe at the baker's on the way to church. The baker would then cook the whole town's pots in the residual heat from the morning's bread baking. After the service, the townspeople collected their pots — easy to recognize by their personal colors and decorations.
Here is a version of the traditional dish from Thomas Rode, who makes it over an open fire in a pan, which gives even more flavor — though of course you can also make it on the grill or in the oven. It just needs to be assembled, and then it takes care of itself, until you have tender meat and delicious potatoes, all in one delightful mouthful.
Ingredients
- 4–6 large, beautiful chicken thighs, split at the joint
- 200–300 ml good Riesling
- 2 cloves, crushed
- 10 black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 sprig of thyme, leaves stripped from the stem
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of sage
- 100 ml good olive oil
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- The yellow zest of one organic lemon, in fine strips
- 100 g slab bacon, cut into slices and then crosswise
- 1–2 leeks, white part cut into rings
- 1–2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1–2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges from top to root
- 1 kg large potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 50 g butter
Method
Place the chicken pieces in a dish. Mix the olive oil, leeks, carrots, onion, garlic, and spices with the chicken, and let it marinate overnight.
Butter your deep campfire pan. At the bottom, lay down a layer of potatoes. Remember to season with salt and pepper. On top, distribute the chicken pieces along with the bacon, vegetables, spices, and the marinade. Finish with the rest of the potatoes — again seasoning with salt and pepper — and top with slices of butter. Cover with foil.
Place the pan over the fire and let it simmer for 2–3 hours over moderate heat. Add wood and a splash of water along the way as needed.
Serve with a hearty cabbage salad and a good glass of Riesling.
