3 1/2 lb Chicken
Water to cover
2 ts Coarse salt
2 Bay leaves
1 ts Whole white peppercorns
2 ts Dry rosemary
2 ts Dry thyme
1 sm Onion; peeled, studded with
6 Whole cloves
2 Carrots; peeled and diced
2 Celery stalks; washed and
-diced
1 Leek; washed and diced
1 Recipe Pot Pie Tops; see *
-Note
=== EXOTIC MUSHROOM AND
-TARRAGON CREAM ===
3 Carrots; sliced
2 Celery stalks; diced
1 tb Sweet butter
2 tb Finely-chopped shallots
1 lb Mixed exotic mushrooms;
-sliced, and
; broken by hand
1 c Heavy cream
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 c Chopped fresh tarragon
-leaves
* Note: See the Pot Pie Tops recipe which is included in this
collection.
Wash the chicken under cold water. Tie the bay leaves, peppercorns,
rosemary and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth as a sachet
garni. Put the chicken into a pot large enough to hold it, cover with
cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15
minutes, carefully skimming off any scum and grease that accumulates
on the surface of the water. Add the salt, sachet garni and onion,
carrot, celery and leek, return to the boil, reduce again to a strong
simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the
chicken in the broth in an ice water bath. When thoroughly cold,
remove the chicken and strip off all of the skin and discard. Strip
the meat from the bones, and shred using scrupulously clean hands and
work station. Strain the liquid, discard the vegetables and the
bouquet garni. Place the chicken broth in a 4-quart casserole and
bring to the boil. Add the carrots and celery and simmer for 10
minutes. Meanwhile, put the butter in a saute pan and begin to cook
the shallots over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook
over high heat for 5 minutes. Add the cream to the pot over broth and
vegetables and then add the sauteed mushrooms to the pot. Simmer this
for 5 minutes before adding the chicken and continuing to cook for 20
minutes. Add the tarragon and place into single serving crocks or
bowls and top each one with a Pot Pie Top biscuit. This recipe yields
4 to 6 servings.
Yields
4 servings
