This is it, the real thing. And it is great but if you want it even better....boil the chicken in chicken broth instead of water; twice the flavor.
1 stewing chicken (about 4 or 5 pounds), cut up
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
DUMPLINGS:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lard or butter
1/2 cup hot broth, (or if you prefer, cold milk)
Season chicken with salt and pepper; Place chicken, celery, onion and carrot in a Dutch oven.
Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender (about 20 minutes per pound).
Remove chicken and keep warm.
When chicken is cool enough to handle remove the skin and discard it.
Remove the meat from the bones and return the bones to the broth in the pot. Reserve the chicken meat.
Bring the bones and aromatic vegetables to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, covered. Strain the broth and reserve it. Discard the bones and cooked vegetables
Add water to measure 4 qts. Set aside 1/2 cup for dumplings. Return remaining broth to the Dutch oven; add Poultry Seasoning.
The Dumplings: Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Stir in enough of the 1/2 cup of hot broth you set aside to make a firm but manageable dough.
Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil. Roll dough to 1/16-in. thickness; NO THICKER. If thick, they will be tough. Cut into 2-in. squares. Drop a few at a time into boiling broth. You want the broth to always continue to boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook dumplings uncovered until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and serve immediately.
4 to 6 servings
4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) cooked chicken (about 1 3/4 pound)
1 cup walnuts, chopped, (toasted, if you like)
1 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped, or two green onions
2 cups halved seedless red grapes
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Toss all ingredients together.
6 to 8 Serves
Words Fail Me.
Best to make the Chicken Broth one day and serve it the next day. It is a bit time consuming but the results are impressive. You will be proud.
To make the intensified broth:1 ½ gallons of canned chicken broth
One three to four pound chicken, or the equivalent in chicken pieces.
1 large onion quartered;do not peel-It makes a rich golden color in the broth. Stick one clove in one of the quarters if you have one.
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots, quartered
2 whole bay leaves
2 celery ribs with tops, quartered
2 couple of sprigs of parsley
Put all the above in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth. When cool enough to handle remove the chicken and vegeetables from the broth. Strain the broth and refrigerate it until the next day. Pull the meat from the bones, cover tightly and refrigerate. Toss the skin and bones.
The next day:
Remove the fat that will have risen to the top of the broth. Put the broth on the stove to heat about 2 hours before dinner. Just bring it to a simmer and keep it there.
Prepare your soup garnishes:
For the Bowls:
1 cup fresh spinach, cut in small strips
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup Avocado, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup of the boiled chicken, diced
1 cup lime juice
One bunch of cilantro, chopped, toss the tough stems
A couple of halved cherrry tomatoes or tomato wedges
the grated zest of all the limes you squeezed to get the juice you’ll need just a pinch to put in each bowl.
Garnishes to pass at the table:
toasted tortilla strips-or just use plain corn chips
Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions for service in individual bowls:
Put about 1 Tablespoon of each ingredient in the bottom of each bowl. Just a pinch of lime zest in each bowl I proper. Pour in the boiling chicken stock. It will be beautiful.
Have bowls of toasted tortillas (or chips) and lime wedges to pass for each guest to help himself at the table.
Yes, you can just throw everything in the broth and use a ladle, but it’s really nice to do in individual bowls. :)
Use a really strong broth and you’ll be happy. This is a crowd pleaser. Some hoity toity people look down on Tetrazzini as unfashionable. Their loss.
4 Tbsp. Butter
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
4 Tbsp. Flour
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 c. broth
1 c. cream
1/3 c. sherry
half a lb. Spaghetti, cooked and drained
half a lb. Mushrooms, sauteed
3 c. diced cooked chicken or turkey
1/4 c. graqted Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. slivered almonds
Paprika
Melt butter in a large pan. Add flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Add broth and cream. Cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat. Combine with sherry, spaghetti, mushrooms and turkey. Pour into 9x13 inch pyrex pan. Sprinkle with cheese and almonds. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serves 10.
The classic American version of the Chinese classic. This one is not battered and deep fried.
1 lb. Boned chicken breast
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
half a green pepper
1 c. fresh snow peas (I use fresh sugar snaps now when I can find them)
4 Tbsp. Oil
Sauce:
half a cup water
half a cup pineapple juice
1/4 c. honey or sugar
1/4 c. wine vinegar
1/4 c. catsup
2 Tbsp. Soy sauce
1/4 tsp. Ginger
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/4 c. water
16 pineapple chunks (canned is traditional but fresh is fine too)
Cut chicken and peppers into 1-inch cubes, set aside. Heat 2 Tbsp. Oil in wok or skillet. Simmer chicken in oil to heat through. Stir fry until opaque. Remove and rinse wok. Add 2 Tbsp. Oil, and stir fry chestnuts for1 minute. Add green pepper and peas, stir fry for 1 minute more. Remove vegetables and rinse wok. In clean wok, combine first 7 ingredients of sauce. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 c. water and combine. Stir into the hot sauce mixture and heat until thickened. Add pineapple. Pour chicken and vegetables into the sauce. Heat. Serve on a bed of rice.
Serves 4 to 6.
Also good with diced turkey, shrimp, crab, scallops or combination of seafood instead of chicken.
4 c. cooked, diced chicken
2 c. celery, diced
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
4 hard cooked eggs, cut up
2/3 c. almonds
2 pimentos, cut fine
One and a half cups mayonnaise
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Onion, cut very fine
1 c. grated cheese
One and a half cups crushed potato chips
Combine all except cheese and potato chips. Toss gently. Top with grated cheese and crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Serves 12.
This no nonsense homemade dish is over 150 years old from a very determined old plantation owner in the delta.
3 beaten eggs
Cream
1/8 tsp. Salt
Flour
One cooked chicken and the broth in which it was cooked.
Measure the 3 beaten eggs and combine with the same amount of cream. Beat until well-blended. Add 1/8 tsp salt and enough flour to make a very stiff dough. Divide into halves and roll out into a thin sheet. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion, and slice into very thin pieces. Toss into chicken broth, which has had chicken removed and is very hot. Cook in broth until tender, stirring often. Return chicken to broth.
This is a very old fashioned and rarely seen now. Highly recommended.
Pearl onions are not absolutely essential. This is how to prepare them: Drop pearl onions into boiling water to cover. Return to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Pour off the water. When the onions are cool enough to handle just slip off the skins and trim off the root ends. This only takes a minute. Finish for the dish as described, they will be "glazed". Doing pearl onions this way is how the little onions for coq au vin is done.
This recipe teaches several basic things and is a good exercise for the careful cook. The onion stuck with a whole clove is a wonderful flavor that reminds me of the flavor of the old Campbell’s beef consumme-this is how they got that flavor.
1 chicken (about 3 ½ pounds), cut into 8 pieces as for frying.
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground pepper
Dash of ground mace
8 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
1 tsp oil
½ cup freshly chopped cooked ham
2 big carrots, peeled and chpped
1 clove
1 medium yellow onion
3 parsley sprigs
3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
12 small "pearl" onions peeled and trimmed
½ tsp sugar
1/4 cup dry vermouth
½ cup chopped green onions-about 1 bunch
1 Tbsp. Chopped parsley
4 eggs
6 Tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
½ cup heavy cream
Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, pepper and mace; let stand at least 30 minutes or overnight. Heat 3 Tbsp butter and 1 tsp. Oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
Add ham and carrots; cook until carrots soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer mix to bowl and set aside.
Melt another 3 Tbsp butter in the same skillet, medium heat. Arrange as many chicken pieces as will fit in one layer in skillet, skin side down. Saute until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Turn pieces and repeat 5 to 6 minutes for other side. Put aside; brown remaining pieces and remove. Put in ham and carrot. Stick clove into middle of yellow onion. Add parsley sprigs and pour in stock, scraping pot.
Remember: scraping the pot "deglazes" it-all those bits of flavor remaining in it are loosened to become part of your dish-very important!
Return chicken to skillet. Heat over medium till boiling, reduce to simmer, and cook covered 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-inch deep, 2-quart baking dish. Melt remaining butter in skillet and add pearl onions; sprinkle with sugar. Saute, stirring often, till onions are golden. Carefully pour vermouth into skillet; go on cooking onions uncovered, shaking skillet occasionally till liquid is absorbed and onions tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Put chicken in baking dish, skin side up. With a slotted spoon, add ham and carrots to baking dish and then pour remaining liquid and onions over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and parsley. Remove parsley sprigs and yellow onion with clove.
In a blender, blend eggs, then add flour, baking powder, cream and reserved pan juices and mix till smooth. Pour this custard mixture evenly over chicken; bake till custard is golden brown and puffed, about 30 minutes. Serve at once.
NOTE: No blender? Just whisk the egg/flour baking powder and reserved pan juices together until there are no lumps. Push through a fine wire mesh strainer to remove lumps if any dare show themselves.
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| The Bird |
Pan Sauce aka gravy
Never doubt it. This will make you a legend. Use a 10-inch cast iron skillet or one of those heavy10 to 12-inch aluminum saute pan/skillets they use in restaurants.
One 3- to 4-pound chicken
1 lemon and/or 1 medium onion, quartered
Kosher salt
About 1 hour before cooking the chicken, remove it from the refrigerator, and rinse it. If you intend to make a pan sauce, cut off the wing tips and add them, along with the neck if you have it, to the pan in which you will roast the bird.
Truss the chicken or stuff it with the lemon or onion, or both. (for minimal "trussing" just tie the tips of the legs together, you want to keep a lot of air from getting inside). Salt it and set it on a plate.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees or 425 if you’re concerned about smoke. Set the oven on convection if that’s an option. Put the chicken in an oven-proof frying pan and slide it into the oven.
After 1 hour, check the color of the juices-poke it with a skewer or similar weapon. If they run red, return the chicken to the oven and check it again in 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving it. Carve the chicken and serve.
Rustic Sauce
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine
Put the pan in which you have just roasted a chicken over high heat and cook any remaining skin for 1 minute or so. The juices will cook down and stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat if you wish. Add the onion and carrot and stir with a flat-edged spoon to coat the vegetables with the fat. Cook until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the caramelized bits. Cook all the wine off (the fat will begin to crackle). Continue to cook until the onion and carrot are caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot water, deglaze (scrape) the pan again, and let the water cook down completely. When the crackling begins, stir the onion and carrot until they become nicely caramelized. Add another 1 cup hot water and cook until reduced by about two-thirds.
You may also do this in the oven-just set the chicken, prepared on the can, in a roasting pan to prevent its dripping onto the floor of the oven. Results are memorable, and look hilarious. If you have trouble with your chicken being dry-especially the breasts-this method solves the problem in spades. Classicly done in the grill/smoker which does add flavor and color.
Makes 8 servings.
1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup your favorite spice blend-I use Tony Chachere’s
1 can (12 ounces) beer
1.Preheat gas grill to medium heat (350 degrees). Remove giblets from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry. Rub chicken with oil. Rub cavity with 1 tablespoon of the spice blend Reserving 1 Tbsp to put inside the beer can.. Sprinkle remaining Chicken Seasoning evenly over surface of chicken. Tuck the chicken wings behind the body of the bird., or not, as you prefer.
Remove about 2 ounces beer and poke 2 holes in top of can. Put the reserved Tbsp. spice blend into the can-careful, it will foam. Hold chicken upright (legs pointing down) and insert opened beer can into cavity. Stand chicken in upright position in center of grill.
Position legs to best support chicken (similar to a tripod). Close lid. (No need to need to cover the chicken if it is being cooked in the oven).
Grill or roast chicken55 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken from can before serving.
For charcoal grill, use indirect medium heat.
