Pearl Chicken with Pesto Crust and Artichokes

Ingredients

• 8 pearl chicken thighs
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp grape seed oil
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 100 ml dry white wine
• Salt
• ground pepper (from grinder)
• 1 bunch Basil
• 0.5 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• 8 tsp grated Pecorino cheese
• 8 young artichokes
• juice of 1 lemon
• 10 white peppercorns
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 stalk Celery
• olive oil
• Salt
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 beef tomatoes
• lemon juice (for drizzling)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Heat a pot with some olive oil and butter. Season the pearl chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then brown them in the oil-butter mixture. Peel and quarter the onion; add it along with the bay leaf and rosemary to the pot. Peel one garlic clove, add it with the bay leaf, pour in white wine, cover, transfer to a preheated oven at 180 °C, and braise for 20–30 minutes, turning occasionally.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile prepare the pesto: Roughly chop basil, parsley, and the remaining garlic clove; grind them together with pine nuts and olive oil in a mortar until smooth. Season with salt.

3. 3.

   Spread the pesto over the pearl chicken thighs, sprinkle with Pecorino cheese, and briefly gratinate under the grill. Wash the artichokes and remove the outer tough leaves. Trim off a piece of the stem and peel away enough leaves to expose most of the heart. Mix 500 ml cold water with 100 ml olive oil, lemon juice, bay leaf, peppercorns, fennel seeds, finely chopped celery, and salt. Add the artichokes, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20–25 minutes over medium heat. Let them cool in the cooking liquid, then drain.

4. 4.

   Peel the tomatoes by blanching and cooling, then halve them, remove the seeds, and dice the flesh. Peel garlic and slice thinly. Heat 5 tbsp oil in a pan, briefly sauté the garlic, add the tomatoes, and cook for a short while. Remove from heat, add the artichokes, mix well, let it rest slightly, then drizzle with lemon juice and serve over the pearl chicken thighs.