The first recipe is for a cacciatore-style chicken. This is a very "soupy" meal that I serve in large bowls, with the sauce ladled over the chicken. Have it with rice or noodles and plenty of good, crusty bread to mop up the sauce. This, like many tomato-based dishes, is even better when it's reheated, which makes it a good choice for weekend cooks.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES, WINE AND MUSHROOMS

4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs
3 tbsp. flour (for dredging the chicken parts)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
3/4 lb. white button mushrooms, quartered (3 to 4 cups)
3 cups dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, water or a combination
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid
Salt and pepper

1. Wash the chicken parts and pat them dry with paper towels. Dredge lightly in flour. In a large casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, just until it starts to sizzle, then add the butter. Saute the chicken until it is golden brown (actually blond) on both sides.

2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Saute the garlic and the minced shallot until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms just begin to take on color. Add the white wine, stock and tomatoes. Return the sauteed chicken parts to the pan. Cover, reduce the heat to below a simmer, and cook for an hour or until the meat falls from the bone. Add salt and pepper to taste.

One of my favorite comfort foods is leeks slowly simmered in chicken stock, butter and heavy cream. If you don't think you can get your family to eat leeks, and if you don't want to eat cream, try these braised carrots instead.

BRAISED CARROTS

1 lb. carrots
1 cup chicken stock or water
2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Peel the carrots and cut them into 2- to 3-inch lengths (or use baby carrots). Put the stock, sugar, butter and salt in a pan wide and deep enough to hold the carrots in a single layer. A skillet is a good choice. Bring the stock to a boil.

2. Add the carrots and cover the pan. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes or until the carrots are soft not mushy to the touch. Remove the carrots from the stock with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the liquid over high heat until it is slightly thickened; return the carrots to the pan to reheat and glaze them. Makes 4 servings.

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