Poulet Marengo, chicken in garlic, cognac and tomato with croutons and a fried egg

Put a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet and brown the chicken bones to caramelize the juices and make an instant brown chicken stock.

After a good 10 minutes on medium to high heat, when there is brownish colour, add a little water to detach all the juices from the bones.

Let it reduce a little, get rid of all the bones, and pour the juices into a small container and set it aside. That is the stock.

Add a bit of olive oil to the pan and put the chicken pieces in on a medium heat, skin down for colour.

Season with a bit of salt and a good amount of pepper.

Cook the chicken pieces five minutes on one side, turn them over, and five minutes on the other, then remove and reserve them on a plate.

Turn the heat off first so there is no flame before adding the cognac; this is a deglaze and not a flambe.

Wave the two garlic cloves in the oil for a few seconds to release the flavour.

Deglaze with the cognac and let it reduce.

Add the reserved stock, put the heat back on, and leave it to reduce down.

Mix in half a can of diced tomato.

Put the chicken back in on a low heat and braise 10 to 12 minutes, five minutes a side.

Pan fry the mushrooms with a bit of salt and pepper until golden, then take the heat off and reserve them in the pan.

Fry large pieces of bread in olive oil until golden, then cut them in two.

Fry an egg in a lot of olive oil, bathing it with the oil, until it is all cooked through.

Plate the chicken, cover it with a little of the sauce, add the mushrooms in place of the crayfish, and set the fried bread alongside with the fried egg on top.

Finish with a little salt and a little black pepper.