Ingredients

• 12 free range organic chicken thighs
• 2 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 onion, peeled, halved and sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• small bunch thyme
• small bunch parsley
• small bunch plus 3 sprigs plus 2 tsp chopped tarragon, 3 sprigs whole, remainder chopped for sauce
• approx 150ml dry white wine
• a few black peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 litre cold water
• 200ml crème fraîche or other thick cream
• a squeeze lemon juice

Method

1. Trim the chicken skin so that it just covers the thighs, removing any fat with it.
2. Peel and thickly slice the carrots. Peel, halve and slice the onion.
3. Place the carrot in a 2 litre capacity lidded pan with the onion, thyme, parsley, 3 sprigs of tarragon, wine, peppercorns, bay leaf and 1 tsp salt.
4. Lay the chicken, skin-side uppermost, on top and cover with 1 litre of cold water. Bring the liquid to the boil, skimming away any scum that forms, then immediately reduce the heat.
5. Cook with hardly a tremble to the water for 40 minutes.
6. Lift the chicken on to a plate and strain the stock into a sauté or other wide-based pan.
7. Return the chicken to the original pan, add about 300ml of the hot stock, cover and leave to rest and keep warm while you complete the sauce.
8. Boil the stock until thick and syrupy and reduced to about 200ml.
9. Add the crème fraîche or cream, stirring until thoroughly mixed, then simmer briskly for a few minutes until thick and slightly reduced.
10. Stir in 2 tsp chopped tarragon leaves, taste and adjust the seasoning with a squeeze of lemon juice, simmer for 1 minute and turn off the heat.
11. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs, arrange them in a serving dish and pour the sauce over them.

Notes