Chicken Dinner

Chicken in white wine

Ingredients:

• 50g butter
• 1 x 1.5kg chicken, quartered or 4 chicken portions
• Salt
• Pepper
• 25g plain flour
• 300ml dry white wine
• 300ml chicken stock (made with garlic)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 fresh thyme spig
• Watercress to garnish

Cooking Time: About 1.5hours

Melt the butter in a flameproof casserole. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry until lightly browned on all sides. Sprinkle the flour into the casserole and cook, stiring, for 2 minutes. Pour over the wine and stock and stir well. Bring to the boil and skim. Add salt and pepper to taste, the bay leaves and thyme. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning before serving, garnish with watercress.

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Boiled Chicken with Rice

Ingredients:

• 50g butter
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1×2kg boiler chicken with giblets
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Bay leaf
• 175-225g long-grain rice
• Chopped Parsley to garnish

Cooking time: 2-2.5 hours

Melt the butter in the saucepan. Add the onions and celery and cook until softened. Add the chicken and its giblets, cover with water and bring to the boil. Skim. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the bay leaf. Simmer gently for 2 to 2.5 hours or until cooked.

Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and keep hot. Strain the cooking stock into another saucepan. Add the rice and cook until tender.

Meanwhile chop the giblets, including any pickings from the neck. Drain the rice, if necessary, and stir in the giblet pieces. Adjust the seasoning, and serve round the carve chicken, garnished with parsley.

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Coq au vin

Ingredients:

• 50g butter
• 175g piece collar of bacon, diced
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic clovers, chopped
• 1×2 kg chicken, skinned and jointed
• 50g plain flour
• 150ml chicken stock
• 300ml dry red wine
• Salt
• Pepper
• 6-8 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 x 15 ml spoon tomato puree
• 1 bay leaf
• Fried bread triangles to garnish

Cooking Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes.

Melt the butter in a flameproof casserole and fry the bacon, onions, garlic and chicken pieces until evenly browned. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Cook until lightly coloured, then stir in the stock and wine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms, tomato puree and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning. Serve garnished with fried bread triangles.

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Roast Stuffed Spring Chickens

Ingredients:

• 2 x 1kg chickens
• 50g butter, melted
• Fresh tarragon sprigs to garnish

Stuffing:

• 25g butter
• 1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 x 5ml spon dried tarragon
• 120ml milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt
• Pepper

Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Oven: 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5

To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft but not brown.  Stir in the breadcrumbs, tarragon and milk.  Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Mix in the egg and salt and pepper to taste.  Use to stuff the neck ends of the birds.

Truss the chickens, brush with the melted butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in a preheated oven until tender and golden.  Garnish with fresh tarragon sprigs before serving.

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Roast Poussins

Incredients:

• 4 x 350g poussins
• 50g butter, melted
• Salt
• Pepper
• Plain flour
• Watercress to garnish

Cooking Time: 20-25 mins

Oven: 200°C, 400°F, Gas Mark 6

Truss the birds. Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge lightly with flour and roast in a preheated over until tender and golden brown. Served garnished with watercress.

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