poultry
serves 6-8
1.5k / 31/2lb chicken with giblets
salt and pepper
fresh tarragon
1 medium onion, quartered
1 carrot, quartered
1 stick celery, quartered ( 175g / 1/4lb celeriac ,cubed
small )
1 bay leaf
Sauce
60g / 2oz butter
60g / 2oz plain flour ( all purpose )
glass white wine or cider
5ml / 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
10ml / 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
45-55ml / 3 tbsp ( heaped ) whipped cream
45-55ml / 3 tbsp ( heaped ) mayonnaise
Generously season the inside of the bird with the salt, pepper
and tarragon.
Place the onion, carrot and celery in a saucepan ( just large enough to hold
the bird snugly ) put the giblets on top of the vegetables.
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and giblets and pour over just enough water to cover the bird. Cover the pan tightly and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the pan from the heat and carefully turn the chicken breast side down in the stock, taking care not to break the skin. Cover again, and allow to cool.
Once cool, remove from the pot, skin, and remove the meat from
the bird,
slicing the leg meat into longish slivers and dividing the white meat into
similar sized pieces.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, add the wine, stirring until smooth, slowly stir in 280ml / 1/2 pint of the chicken stock.
Add the chopped tarragon, parsley and lemon juice and bring the sauce to the boil. Cook for a further two minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before folding in the whipped cream, and finally, the mayonnaise.
Toss the chicken pieces in about three quarters of the sauce and pile them into a large, shallow serving dish. Pour on the remainder of the sauce and garnish with tarragon sprigs and strips of lemon rind before serving.