Frozen chicken in a pot
A brilliant recipe born out of desperation.
SERVES
8
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
130
MINUTES
Ingredients
A good free-range and organic chicken, can be frozen solid
2 kg approx 2-3 carrots, sliced into chunks
2-3 onions, quartered
A couple of sticks of celery
6 black peppercorns
a sprig of thyme, a few parsley stalks, a tiny bay leaf, and a sprig of tarragon if available
450-600ml approx. water or water and white wine mixed or light chicken stock
30g approx. roux
250-300ml light cream or creamy milk
For the liaison, an enrichment:
1 egg yolk
50ml cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh watercress sprigs
To serve: Pilaf Rice
Method
Put the frozen chicken into a deep saucepan or casserole with the carrot, celery, onion, herbs and peppercorns. Add a teasp salt. Pour in water, water and wine, or stock, (¾ stock- ¼ wine). Cover and bring slowly to the boil and simmer either on top of the stove or in the oven for 1½-to 2 hours, When the bird is cooked, remove from the casserole. The meat should lift easily from the bone.
Strain and de-grease the cooking liquid and return to the casserole. Discard the vegetables: they have already given their flavour to the cooking liquid. Reduce the liquid in a wide uncovered casserole for a 5-10 minutes until the flavour is concentrated.
Meanwhile make the pilaff rice.
Add cream, return to the boil and reduce again; thicken to a light coating consistency with a little roux. Taste, add salt, correct the seasoning.
Skin the chicken and carve the flesh into bite-sized pieces; add to the sauce and allow to heat through and bubble (the dish may be prepared ahead to this point).
Finally, just before serving mix the egg yolk and cream to make a liaison. Add some of the hot sauce to the liaison then carefully stir into the chicken mixture. Taste, correct the seasoning. Stir well but do not allow to boil further or the sauce will curdle.
Serve with a simple Pilaff Rice. Turn the pilaff into a wide hot serving dish, top with the chicken pilaff. Scatter with flat parsley and serve.
Alternatively, serve the pilaff rice separately.
