- 8 chicken legs
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 15 black peppercorns
- 1-ounce bunch fresh parsley, leaves and stems separated
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dry white wine
- 4 celery stalks, trimmed
- 4 medium onions, peeled
- 6 medium carrots, peeled
- about 1 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
- a dash of soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- In a large pot, place the chicken legs, bay leaves, tarragon, peppercorns, parsley stalks, white wine, and 2 celery stalks. Halve two of the onions and two of the carrots and add to the pan, then pour in enough cold water to cover the legs (about 2 quarts). Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, with the lid half on, for 25 minutes, or until juices in the legs run clear.
- Remove the chicken legs from the pan and set aside, but keep the stock simmering. Meanwhile, chop the remaining onions, carrot, and celery into small chunks.
- In a large saucepan over low heat, heat the butter, add the chopped vegetables and a pinch of salt, and sweat for 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, strip the chicken from the bones and set aside. Place the bones, skin, and trimmings back in the simmering stock pot and continue to simmer.
- Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan with the chopped vegetables and turn up the heat to brown all the ingredients, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute. Strain the stock into a measuring cup and measure out 3 1/3 cups (you can freeze any extra). Add nearly all of the stock and the soy sauce to the pan of vegetables, stirring it in slowly until it comes back to a simmer and thickens. Add a little more stock if it is still too thick- it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Chop the parsley leaves and add to the pan, along with the chicken. Stir in the cream, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.