BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS, ALMONDS AND SAUTEED HARICOTS VERTS

Steps:

• Cover the dried porcinis with 2 cups hot water and allow to sit for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Remove from the liquid with a slotted spoon before using.
• Coat a large, wide, deep pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels and season generously with salt. Add the chicken, skin side down, to the pan¿you should hear a big sizzle as the thighs hit the pan. Do not try to move the chicken; the skin will stick itself to the bottom of the pan and will unstick itself when it is ready. If the pan is smoking excessively, turn the burner down and continue cooking. When the skin is brown and crispy, turn the chicken over and brown it on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.
• Lower the heat if you have not already done so and ditch most of the excess fat from the pan. Add the pancetta, and brown. When the pancetta has started to get brown and crispy, add the onions. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper, and sweat over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the assorted mushrooms, including the porcinis, season with salt and saute until they release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the chicken stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the chicken for 30 to 35 minutes, adding more chicken stock if needed.
• While the chicken is cooking, puree the almonds in a food processor. With the motor running, drizzle in a little olive oil to make a loose paste. Season with salt and reserve.
• Once the chicken has cooked for 30 to 35 minutes, remove it from the pan and reserve. Taste the sauce for seasoning and stir in the almond puree. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer to thicken the sauce if needed; the almond puree will help to thicken the sauce and will make it very rich.
• Serve the chicken over sauteed haricots verts. Spoon the mushroom-almond sauce over the top and garnish with chopped chives.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water for shocking.
• Add the haricots verts to the boiling water and cook until tender but still toothsome, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and immediately plunge into the salted ice water. Once the beans are cool, remove them from the water and set aside until ready to use.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and bring to a medium-high heat. When the garlic has become golden and very aromatic, remove and discard it¿it has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the beans to the pan and saute until hot and coated with oil. Season with salt and serve right away.