Page 228 - UMass2018_CookBook

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 (3-pound) whole free-range chicken
8 cups homemade chicken stock or high-quality low- sodium canned chicken broth
Kosher salt
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 3⁄4 inch thick on an extreme diagonal
5 celery stalks, peeled and sliced 3⁄4 inch thick on an ex- treme diagonal
4 medium leeks, white part
only, roots and tough outer leaves trimmed, sliced 3⁄4 inch thick on an extreme diagonal,
and swirled vigorously in a bowl of cold water to remove any grit
Bouquet garni (1 bay leaf tied with a few fresh parsley sprigs)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1⁄2 cup stellini (tiny star pasta)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Oliver's Chicken Stew
Jody Adams
Preparation
1. Rinse the chicken and place it, breast side down, in a large, deep soup pot. Add the stock and 4 teaspoons salt (if using canned broth, taste first and then add salt as needed). Bring to a boil, skimming the surface thoroughly, then lower the heat.
2. Add the carrots, celery, leeks, bouquet garni, thyme and garlic. Adjust the heat so the liquid barely bubbles. Poach the chicken, breast side down, for 15 minutes, then flip it over and continue poaching until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate to cool.
3. Taste the vegetables. If they’re tender, strain the stock into a large saucepan, setting the vegetables aside. If they’re not yet tender, transfer them along with the stock to the saucepan. Remove the bouquet garni and discard. Set the pan over medium-high heat and simmer the stock steadily until the liquid reduces by half, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan
of salted water to a boil for the pasta. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and pull the meat off the bones. Discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into large pieces. Set the meat aside, covered, in a warm place.
214 | TASTE OF HOME