Quick Lemony Chicken with Prunes and Green Olives

This recipe is from the most recent cookbook I borrowed from the library. Just as I am trying to turn vegetarian (again), I come across this cookbook, "All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking". Who wants cooking to be complicated? Groan.

This easy chicken braise simmers on top of the stove for about 35 minutes, making it ideal for a quick weeknight dinner. But don't let that stop you from making it for company. The winning combination of sweet prunes and green olives in a lemony braising liquid makes it distinctive enough for a fancy dinner party. Serve with mashed potatoes, a potato gratin, or buttered egg noodles.

Serves 4.
Braising time: 30-40 minutes

1/3 cup brined green olives, such as Picholine or Lucques
4 thighs and 4 drumsticks (about 3-1/2 lbs total)
Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
4 strips lemon zest, removed with a vegetable peeler (each about 2-1/2 inches x 3/4 inch)
2 whole cloves
3/4 cup plump pitted prunes (see notes below)

1. Pitting the olives: If the olives are not pitted, remove the pits by smashing the olives one at a time with the side of a large knife, then slipping the pits out. If any flesh remains on the pits, slice it off with the knife.
   
2. Dredging the chicken: Rinse the chicken in cool water, and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Generously season all over with salt and pepper. Spread the flour in a wide shallow dish (a pie plate works well), and dredge half the chicken pieces one a time, placing each one in the flour, turning to coat both sides, and then lifting it out an patting lightly to shake off any excess.
3. Browning the chicken: Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or shallow braising pan (12-14 inches works well) over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place the dredged chicken pieces skin side down in the pan and sear, without disturbing, until a nut-brown crust forms on the first side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken with tongs and brown on the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes. While the chicken is browning, pat the remaining pieces dry again and dredge them in the flour. Transfer the seared chicken to a platter or large plate to catch the juices, and brown the remaining pieces. Set these aside with the others, and discard the flour.
4. The aromatics and braising liquid: Pour off the fat from the pan and quickly wipe out any black specks with a damp paper towel, being careful to leave behind any browned bits. Add the wine, vinegar, garlic, zest, and cloves to the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up those prized browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
5. The braise: Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, arranging them so they fit in a snug single layer. Pour over any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Scatter over the prunes and olives. Cover tightly, and reduce the heat to low. Braise at a gentle simmer, basting occasionally and turning the pieces with tongs halfway through, until the chicken is tender and pulls easily away from the bone, about 30-40 minutes. When you lift the lid to baste, check to see that the liquid is simmering quietly; if it is simmering too vigorously, reduce the heat or place a heat diffuser under the skillet.
6. The finish: Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken to a serving platter to catch the juices, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Skim any visible surface fat from the sauce with a wide spoon. Raise the heat under the skillet to high, and reduce the pan juices for 2-3 minutes to concentrate their flavor. The sauce should be the consistency of a thin vinaigrette. Taste for salt and pepper. Retrieve and discard the cloves and zest, if you like. Pour the juices over the chicken and serve.

Variation: For a darker, more rustic-looking dish, substitute red wine for the white wine and red wine vinegar for the white wine vinegar. Use orange or tangerine zest in place of lemon zest and black olives instead of green.

Plumping the prunes: If the only prunes you can find are dry and leathery, you'll want to soak them overnight in room-temperature or slightly warm water to plump them up. Place them in a small bowl and pour over enough water to cover. Let the prunes sit until they are moist and plump, 8-12 hours. You can speed things up by using scalding water, but in my experience the hot water begins to break down the texture of the prunes and leave them a bit ragged.

You can also soak the prunes in Cognac, port, wine, fruit juice or any other liquid that you'll be adding to the dish you're making. As the prunes plump, they'll absorb the flavor of the liquid. Stock is not a good choice, however, as it is prone to spoilage and should not be left out on the counter overnight.