poached chicken with lemon and tarragon sauce
rating:From the June 2005 issue of Good Food.
ready in 1 hour 45 mins including poaching and resting. Serves 4
300ml dry white wine
1 onion, quartered
1 small fennell, sliced, or 2 sticks of celery
1 large carrot, cut into sticks
2 springs each of rosemary, thyme and tarragon
2 large bay leaves
about 100g smoked bacon pieces
half teaspoon whole balck peppercorns
1 TBS bouillon powder or 2 stock cubes
1 whole chicken, about 2kg
For the sauce:
2 egg yolks
142ml pot of double cream
handful of fresh tarratgon, chopped
1 tsp cornflour
juice of 1 lemon
- Put the wine, vegetables, herb sprigs, bay leaves, bacon, peppercorns and stock powder or cubes in a large pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove any excess fat from teh chicken and push it into the liquor.
- Return the liquor to the boil, then turn the heat down. Cover and cook for one and a quarter hours, until chicken legs feel tender when pierced.
- Remove from heat, stand for 15 minutes, then lift onto a plate.
- Strain the liquor into a bowl and pour 500ml into a pan. Boil to reduce by half.
- Pull and cut the bird into neat portions, discarding skin, wing tips and backbone. Put on a plate and cover.
- Beat together the egg yolks, cream and tarragon in a jug. Ladle in a quarter of the liquor, mix, then pour back into the pan with the rest of the liquor and turn the heat down.
- Mix the cornflour with a little water and add to the liquid.
- With a wooden spoon, stir for 3-5 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Remove from the ehat and stir in the lemon juice, to taste.
- Pour some sauce over teh chicken and put the rest in a jug.
- Serve with boiled rice.
