Henri Soules Poule Au Pot Recipes

CHICKEN IN THE POT

Steps:

• First, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in the casserole, then fry the lardons or pancetta a little with the shallots or button onions. When they have coloured a bit, remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them on one side. Now, add the rest of the oil and when it is fairly hot, fry the chicken whole. This will seem a bit awkward, but all you do is protect your hands with a cloth and hold the chicken by its legs, turning it into different positions until it is a good golden colour all over; this will take 10-15 minutes in all, then remove it from the casserole. Next, fry the carrots, turnips and crushed garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring them all around so that they brown slightly. Now put the bacon and onions back in the pan. Push everything to the sides and sit the chicken in the centre. Next, pour in the wine and stock, add the parsley and celery leaves, tied in a bundle (if using celery leaves), plus the thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Bring to simmering point, then transfer the casserole to the oven (the casserole should be without a lid, but place a piece of foil over the chicken breast) and let it cook for 30 minutes, uncovering and basting the chicken breast now and then with the surrounding stock. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, add the sliced mushrooms, then bake for another 30 minutes, again basting fairly often with the juices. When the chicken is cooked, take the casserole from the oven, remove the chicken, drain it well and put it on a warmed serving dish. Surround it with the well-drained vegetables and bacon, and discard the bay leaf and herbs. Now place the casserole over a direct heat and boil the liquid fiercely to reduce it by about a third. Then make a paste with the butter and flour, then whisk this paste into the reduced liquid. Bring it back to the boil, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens. Now taste to check the seasoning, then carve and serve the chicken and vegetables with the sauce poured over them.

POULE AU POT

Steps:

• Spoon stuffing into the cavity of the chicken; truss to enclose. Place in a large stockpot; add 6 quarts water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Press cloves into onion and place in a piece of cheesecloth along with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, celery, and cinnamon stick; tie cheesecloth with kitchen twine to enclose and add to stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming often. Reduce heat to medium, uncover, and cook, simmering, until broth gradually reduces, about 30 minutes.
• Tie leek pieces in a bundle with kitchen twine and add them to the stockpot along with the carrots and the turnips. Add more water, if necessary, to just cover chicken and vegetables; season with salt. Continue simmering until chicken and vegetables are very tender, the chicken leg meat pulls away from the bones, and juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board; loosely cover to keep warm. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl using a slotted spoon; cut twine from leeks. Return pot to stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by a third (you should have about 2 1/2 quarts), 15 to 25 minutes. Strain liquid into a medium saucepan, discard cheesecloth packet, and season with salt. Add pasta and place saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until just tender, about 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
• Remove kitchen twine from chicken. Remove stuffing from cavity and transfer to a large serving platter. Place vegetables around stuffing and set chicken on top. Garnish with sage and serve with pasta and sea salt.

POULE AU POT

Steps:

• In a food processor, blend the stuffing ingredients together.
• Trim the chicken cavity of any excess fat and fill with the stuffing. Close up and secure with a couple of skewers or a poultry needle.
• Tie the celery stick, the thyme and the bay leaves together to make a bouquet garni
• In a large pot, put the chicken, the wine, the water, the bouquet garni, the carrots, the potatoes, the leeks. Cover and cook for an hour and a half.
• In a bowl, mix the creme fraiche with the cooking juice. Don't make it too thick.
• On a plate, place some chicken, stuffing, the vegetable and spoon over with the creamy juice.

POULET AU POT

Steps:

• To make the stuffing: In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add livers and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Place in a large bowl along with breadcrumbs, ham, garlic, parsley, sage, red pepper, and allspice; mix well. Season with salt and pepper; stir in egg until well combined.
• Spoon stuffing into the cavity of the chicken; truss to enclose. Place in a large stockpot; add 6 quarts water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Press cloves into onion and place in a piece of cheesecloth along with bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, celery, and cinnamon stick; tie cheesecloth with kitchen twine to enclose and add to stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming often. Reduce heat to medium, uncover, and cook, simmering, until broth gradually reduces, about 30 minutes.
• Tie leek pieces in a bundle with kitchen twine and add them to the stockpot along with the carrots and the turnips. Add more water, if necessary, to just cover chicken and vegetables; season with salt. Continue simmering until chicken and vegetables are very tender, the chicken leg meat pulls away from the bones, and juices run clear when chicken thigh is pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board; loosely cover to keep warm. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl using a slotted spoon; cut twine from leeks. Return pot to stove over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by a third (you should have about 2 1/2 quarts), 15 to 25 minutes. Strain liquid into a medium saucepan, discard cheesecloth packet, and season with salt. Add pasta and place saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until just tender, about 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.
• Remove kitchen twine from chicken. Remove stuffing from cavity and transfer to a large serving platter. Place vegetables around stuffing and set chicken on top. Garnish with sage and serve with pasta and sea salt.

HENRI SOULE'S POULE AU POT

Steps:

• Truss the chicken and place it in a kettle. It should fit in the pot snugly or else too much water must be added and the soup will be weak and watery. Cover with water, and add carrots, celery, turnips, leeks, fennel and zucchini. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and drain well.
• Return chicken to kettle; add chicken broth. Add all vegetables except zucchini. Simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Add zucchini, simmer 5 minutes longer, skimming foam from top periodically.
• Add rice, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Untruss chicken. Cut it into serving pieces, serve in four hot soup bowls with equal amounts of vegetables and rice in each bowl. Garnish with fresh chervil, serve.

POULE AU POT

Steps:

• Put the shank in a large saucepan, add the water and bring slowly to the boil, skimming off any scum. Add the onion, bouquet garni, some salt, the peppercorns and celery, and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, skimming as you go.
• Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk to moisten, then squeeze dry. Mix them with the gammon, garlic and parsley. Chop the chicken liver and heart, and add to the mixture with the beaten egg. Season with pepper and nutmeg (you may not need salt, but taste to see). Beat very well until thoroughly mixed. Stuff the bird and truss it. Add the bird to the pot with the shank and continue to simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Add the carrots, leeks, and turnips. Taste for seasoning, then continue to simmer for another hour or until everything is tender. Be sure that there is always enough liquid to cover everything.
• If you are going to serve the broth as a first course, strain 2 1/2 pints of the liquid into a separate pan, boil to reduce by one-third, remove as much fat as possible and adjust the seasoning. Either simmer the noodles in it for 5 minutes or serve with the diagonally sliced French bread - toasted in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes. (Put the slices of bread in soup bowls and then pour the broth over them.)
• Transfer the beef and chicken to a board. Meanwhile, cut the shank into medium-thick slices and arrange on a large platter. Untruss and carve the chicken. Pile the stuffing on the platter and arrange the chicken on top. Put the vegetables in pretty array around the meat. Cover and keep hot while you serve the first course.
• Serve the meat platter as the main course - it may need some coarse salt to go with it.

POULE AU POT

Steps:

• Lay a large piece of cheesecloth onto a work surface and put the chicken breast-side down onto it. Gather up the edges and tie them with kitchen string. Put the chicken into the pot, breast-side up and pour over the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises until no more forms, about 30 minutes. Add the garlic, leeks, bay leaf, tarragon, thyme and some salt and pepper. Turn the chicken breast-side down. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently about 20 minutes more.
• Add the pearl onions, carrots, celery, parsnips and turnip. Turn the chicken breast-side up, and continue cooking until the juices in the chicken run clear and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer. The chicken should pull apart easily. Serve pieces of chicken and vegetables with some broth pooled around.