Poached Chicken with Tarragon Gelée

Name: Poached Chicken with Tarragon Gelée
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 2 large leeks, trimmed, washed, and cut in half; 4 ribs celery, trimmed and cut in half; 1 carrot, peeled and cut in half; 2 medium yellow onions, halved, with papery skins left on; 4 sprigs parsley; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 5 black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf; 1 calf's foot; 1 (4-lb.) free-range chicken, trussed; 1 (750-ml) bottle good dry white wine; Leaves from 3 branches fresh tarragon; Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Serves
serves 6

SAVEUR

By SAVEUR Editors

Published on March 1, 2002

Terence Conran used a poulet de Bresse—a plump, blue-footed chicken from Burgundy—for this dish, but a good free-range chicken tastes good, too. The onion skins give the gelee its rich golden color.

Ingredients

2 large leeks, trimmed, washed, and cut in half
4 ribs celery, trimmed and cut in half
1 carrot, peeled and cut in half
2 medium yellow onions, halved, with papery skins left on
4 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
5 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 calf's foot
1 (4-lb.) free-range chicken, trussed
1 (750-ml) bottle good dry white wine
Leaves from 3 branches fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

Put leeks, celery, carrots, onions, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large deep pot. Put calf's foot and chicken on top of the aromatics, then add wine and enough water (about 16 cups) to just cover chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, carefully skimming any foam. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, continuing to skim foam as it cooks. Remove pot from heat and allow chicken to cool in broth for about 1 hour.

Step 2

Carefully transfer chicken from pot to a platter, cover with a clean damp kitchen towel, and refrigerate. Discard calf's foot, then strain broth through a triple layer of cheesecloth into a medium pot, discarding solids. Simmer over medium heat, skimming foam, until reduced to about 4 cups, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Pour broth into a 1 1⁄2-quart ceramic dish, arrange tarragon sprigs in broth, and refrigerate until gelée sets, about 2 hours.

Step 3

Run a paring knife around outside edge of gelée, place a platter on top of dish, and invert to unmold. Carve chicken and arrange on a platter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with gelée and with new potatoes boiled with fresh mint leaves, if you like.

Put leeks, celery, carrots, onions, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large deep pot. Put calf's foot and chicken on top of the aromatics, then add wine and enough water (about 16 cups) to just cover chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, carefully skimming any foam. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, continuing to skim foam as it cooks. Remove pot from heat and allow chicken to cool in broth for about 1 hour.
Carefully transfer chicken from pot to a platter, cover with a clean damp kitchen towel, and refrigerate. Discard calf's foot, then strain broth through a triple layer of cheesecloth into a medium pot, discarding solids. Simmer over medium heat, skimming foam, until reduced to about 4 cups, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Pour broth into a 1 1⁄2-quart ceramic dish, arrange tarragon sprigs in broth, and refrigerate until gelée sets, about 2 hours.
Run a paring knife around outside edge of gelée, place a platter on top of dish, and invert to unmold. Carve chicken and arrange on a platter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with gelée and with new potatoes boiled with fresh mint leaves, if you like.