Poulet basquaise — Pays basque, France

Poulet basquaise pairs a free-range chicken with piperade, the stewed mixture of peppers, tomatoes and onions seasoned with Espelette pepper that forms the base of cooking in the northern Basque Country. The dish is not tied to any single town: it is cooked across Labourd, Basse-Navarre and Soule alike, which is why it is placed here under the region rather than under one particular place. The piperade itself combines red and green peppers cut into strips, peeled and chopped ripe tomatoes, onions and garlic, all scented with Espelette pepper — mild and fruity, meant to be noticeable without ever dominating the dish or burning the palate. Bayonne ham, sliced or diced, adds the salt and fat that bind the sauce together. The chicken pieces are first browned on all sides in a pot, then set aside while the piperade cooks in the same fat. The chicken is returned to the sauce with a splash of white wine, the pot is covered, and everything simmers gently until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. The last ten minutes are cooked uncovered, to reduce the liquid further. Households vary the dish in small ways: some add olives or a sweet pepper alongside the bell peppers, others replace part of the white wine with tomato juice. Plain white rice, which soaks up the sauce, remains the most common side, though sautéed potatoes also appear on some Basque tables.