Sometimes the recipes I make are inspired by the type of cooking equipment I have or come across. This happens to be the case with this simple comforting chicken stew…like the guitar choosing the song. I recently came across this wonderfully large enameled cast iron pan while searching through my cupboards. And as the days get shorter and the nights more chilly, I wanted to make something representative of autumn. A persimmon and celery salad would be a nice side dish.

Autumn Chicken Stew
By Jeff Murphy
Serves 2
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

• ½ of a free range chicken cut into four pieces ( leg, thigh, breast cut in two) seasoned with salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 3 inch by ½ inch spears
• 2 spears of celery, sliced
• 1 peeled, cored and chopped apple
• ½ large pasilla chile, sliced
• 4 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ½ of a white or red onion, sliced
• 1 inch sprig of rosemary
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ cups of white wine
• ½ cup of pickled red grapes (see below)

For Pickled Grapes
• 1 lb red seedless grapes, cut in half
• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 pods of star anise
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 pinch caraway seeds

Add oil to a large saute pan or dutch oven with a lid. Heat until surface of oil dimples and swirls - just before the smoking point. Add in chicken pieces that have been generously seasoned on all surfaces with salt and black pepper. Caramelize the chicken to a dark brown (When wine is added some of that coloring will fade). Next add in the cubed or sliced potatoes, apple, carrot, pasilla chile, pickled grapes and onion followed by the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, sprig of rosemary and ½ of a cup of white wine. Cover pot or pan and place in 350 degree oven. Check at 30 minutes and add more white wine. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes more. The temperature of the chicken should read 160 degrees F. Check seasoning and serve chicken on top of roasted veggies in a large bow with your favorite side dish.

For Pickled Grapes
Heat all but the grapes in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and chill the liquid. Once chilled, pour the liquid over the grapes and refrigerate overnight. The grapes will keep for about two weeks.