Sage & garlic braised chicken

For my first meal at my new place in NY, I wanted to make some cozy and comforting but still bright and cheerful. I ended up making a ‘one pot’ tender, braised chicken with garlic and sage and a Belgian endive salad.

Sage & garlic braised chicken

For the chicken you’ll need:

• 5 chicken legs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped roughly
• salt and pepper
• 2 sprigs sage
• herbes de provence

1. Heat up the oil in the bottom of a large thick bottomed pan. Add in 2 garlic cloves and a couple of the sage leaves. Heat up to a sizzle.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper . Place in pan and sear the chicken, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Season with herbes de provence.

3. Add in the stock, remaining garlic and sage. Reduce heat to the lowest setting on your stove and cover. Make sure all the meaty parts of the chicken are covered with the stock and seasoning mixture.

4.  Cook for 30-45 minutes, until the meat is tender and coming off the bone. Serve with the garlic from the stock.

Multicolor endive salad

You’ll need:

• 2 Belgian endive (one red and one white)
• 1 Persian cucumber
• 5-6 heirloom mini tomatoes of various sizes
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• salt & pepper
• aged balsamic vinegar

1. Wash vegetables. Break apart the endive gently. Julienne cucumbers and peppers. Cut tomatoes in half.

2. Layer endive on bottom of plate, place cucumber slices inside the endive leaves and layer peppers and tomatoes on top.

3. Season lightly with salt and pepper. If you want, dress lightly with balsamic, as well.