Don't be chicken ! Cook some poulet basquaise !

My dear non French people,

I hear from time to time that people outside of my wonderful country think that we French and perfect people are proud and arrogant.

Well, why wouldn't we ? Didn't we invent the Camembert and the chateau de Versailles ?

And anyhow, this is nothing compared to the wonderful strong and proud character of the Basque people.

Thousands of people in white and red in the streets... That's what the Basques call a small party !

They live in the South West of France and the Northern part of Spain, and you might have heard that they have been fighting for decades to be reunited in a single Basque country.

You don't mess with the Basques, and with their cuisine either : c'est trop bon !

That's why I thought I should teach you how to cook

Poulet Basquaise

Ingrédients

4 Chicken Legs

1 Onion

1 Bell Pepper

1 can of diced tomatoes

White wine

Piment d'Espelette

Piment d'Espelette

Piment d'Espelette

First you have to know that Euskal Herria, the Basque country, is the second best place in the world for cuisine (just after my kitchen and Michel Bras’s Restaurant, that means).

Pinxos (Basque tapas) are fabuleux, gateau basque is to die for... And there's the magie of Piment d’Espelette.

This special Pepper is grown exclusively in the Basque country, in the small village of… Espelette.

There the houses are all covered with those gorgeous red peppers, where they dry to become the best spice I can think of.

Piment d’espelette is amazing in a chocolate mousse, with braised vegetables… and… in Chicken Basquaise.

Brown the diced onion with some olive oil in a non sticky pan (a cast iron pot is always better).

Add the diced pepper. 

Let them make love slowly, and add the chicken legs. They should change colour on each side.

Sprinkle two spoons of piment d'Espelette, 

Close your eyes, 

smell, 

and 

enjoy the Basque touch...

Add the tomatoes.

Cover with a cup or two of white wine.

Cover everything with chicken broth.

Add Salt, pepper

Bring to a boil

Cover

Let it sim for at least an hour.

This Poulet basquaise is best served with some white rice, and a nice glass of Irouleguy.

If you can't find piment d'Espelette, you can use paprika, but please don't tell a Basque I told you so !

Or you can go straight to Espelette. The next Fete du piment is on October the 22nd. 

Please go to the Restaurant Euskadi and order pork ears for me. Yes. It's so bon.

Meanwhile I'll be in LA wearing the wonderful earings my mom bought me there for my birthday 

C'est mes oreilles, not the pork ears, merci

Espelette everywhere, I tell you les amis !

Egizu bazkari!

(Bon appetit!)