If you turned up to the chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s house on a Sunday, you and your senses would be in for a treat. There would be tantalising aromas of his special chicken in vinegar dish, which Vongerichten, who was born and raised in Alsace, France, says is his native equivalent to the British Sunday roast. “I love the dish because it feels like my mum was cooking it or my grandmother,” he says. “It’s something I grew up with.”
Vongerichten, who is the genius behind abc kitchens at The Emory, commenced his culinary career in 1973. He wasn’t into the whole school thing and, on his 16th birthday, when the family went out for a meal to celebrate, his father jokingly complained to the chef and asked if he had any jobs going for his classroom-phobic boy. As fate had it, the three-Michelin-star chef needed an intern. A month later Vongerichten started his internship at Auberge de l’Ill and was on his way to three Michelin stars of his own.
After his three-year internship, he began travelling across the globe to learn all he could about the cooking world. Travelling is chef school, according to Vongerichten, all about “picking up flavours around the world … that’s my inspiration”. Every place visited means another culinary technique learnt or ingredient influence secured. After all, “there’s no new fish coming out of the ocean every morning, but there are thousands of plants, thousands of spices — the combinations are endless.”
As a result his signature cuisine is a modern twist on French food that melds his curated collection of round-the-world influences, with a particular focus on Asian. He famously utilises unique vinaigrettes and vegetable juices. This chicken dish is the epitome of his cuisine, with an added pinch of nostalgia. Watch the video to learn how to make it.
Chicken with vinegar
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 whole (3lb/1.4kg) chicken or 2 3⁄4lb/1.3kg bone-in chicken parts, breasts halved
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 fresh thyme springs
• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and cut into 1in/2.5cm pieces
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 375ml dry white wine
• 125ml red wine vinegar
• 2 medium shallots diced
• 1⁄4 cup/15g chopped fresh herb leaves, preferably a mix of chervil, basil and flat-leaf parsley
Vongerichten famously utilises unique vinaigrettes and vegetable juices
Method
1. To cut up a whole chicken, start by cutting the wings through the wing joints, keeping the drumettes on the body. Cut the wing tips and save for stock. Pull a drumstick away from the body and slice through the skin connecting it to the body, then along the back bone and through the hip joint to remove the thigh. Repeat on the other side. To separate the drumsticks from the thighs, cut through the joint connecting them.
2. Remove the drumette with a portion of the breast: on one thick side of one breast, start cutting about 2in above the drumette at a 45-degree angle to the breastbone down through the joint connecting the drumette. Repeat on the other side.
3. Stand the carcass upright, wishbone down. Cut the breasts — while keeping them on the bone — by cutting through the rib cage. Save the back for stock. Cut the breasts crosswise through the breastbone into two even pieces, about the same size as the thighs.
4. Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over high heat until hot. Generously season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the oil and 2tbsp of the butter to the pot. When the butter melts, add the chicken skin side down, dark meat pieces first, along with the garlic and shallots. Don’t crowd the pot; work in batches if necessary.
5. Cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pan, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the other side is browned, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Add the garlic and shallot and more butter if necessary and cook until golden. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the thyme, bay leaves, wine and vinegar to the Dutch oven. Simmer, stirring occasionally until saucy, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper