Poached Chicken Tartine with Crème Fraîche, Stilton, and Figs

SERVES 4

I love tartines. They are simple and pretty and are easy to assemble if you have bread and a few things in the fridge. To me, it’s sort of the sandwich for someone who doesn’t eat as much bread as they used to.

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2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup minced yellow onion

¼ cup minced celery

1 sprig thyme

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken stock

2 chicken thighs, bone in but skin removed

1¼ teaspoons kosher salt

1 large round loaf of country bread (pain de campagne)

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup crème fraîche

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

6 fresh figs, stemmed and quartered

4 ounces sliced Stilton

12 arugula leaves

Melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium heat until it bubbles. Add the onion and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme sprig, the bay leaves, and the chicken stock. Simmer. Season the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of the salt, then immerse them in the broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Keep simmering the broth.

Cut four slices of bread, ¾ inch thick, from the center of the loaf. (Save the rest for another meal.) Place a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and heat the olive oil until just about smoking. Fry two slices of bread at a time for 2 minutes per side, or until each side is golden brown. Remove and place each slice on a paper towel.

Pull the chicken off the bone and place in a small bowl. In another small bowl, combine the crème fraîche with the lemon zest, lemon juice, tarragon, and remaining salt. Mix well.

Spread some lemon-tarragon crème fraîche on each slice of bread. Arrange the chicken evenly over the crème fraîche, then add figs, sliced cheese, and arugula leaves on each of the four tartines.