CHICKEN PERLOO

Chicken Purloo – Yields 6 to 8 servings

1 chicken weighing about 4 pounds, poached (recipe to follow)

3 cups stock from poaching

6 slices bacon

2 ½ cups chopped onion

¾ cup chopped celery

¾ cup chopped, peeled carrot

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

1 14-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon dried basil

¼ to ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ ounce dried French cepes or Italian porcini, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 ounces cold butter

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

6 cups hot, cooked rice

After poaching the chicken, bone, skin and chop it into regular pieces (3/4 inch by 1 ¼ pieces). (Note: I think it’s funny that the author uses the word “regular” pieces—like we would know what that means. And is this opposed to your “irregular” pieces? Just asking.)

Chop and render the bacon in a Dutch oven or other heavy cooking pan, cooking slowly until it browns at the edge; do not let it become crisp. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and continue cooking until vegetables are tender. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until the flour browns lightly. Pour in stock and tomatoes with the chicken, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes, and chopped mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, taste for salt and pepper, and cook for 30 minutes.

Before serving, stir in the fresh parsley and the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Serve over hot rice.

Poached Chicken

Note: for my money you don’t need to add as many ingredients to this chicken since it will be used as a base for another dish, but since I had most ingredients on hand, I did. But I tell you what, folks, if you follow the directive to poach about 90 minutes in all, you will be crying. I poached it for just over 30 and some pieces were already leaning toward the tough side. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Also, this recipe advises you to run the chicken under cold running water and drain. I have since read that washing chicken might spread salmonella and it’s better to let the heat kill any germs that might be lingering. It’s up to you of course but I am happy to say we didn’t rinse and lived to tell about it!

Wash the chicken under cold running water and drain in a colander. Combine the onion, celery, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, thyme, salt, peppercorns, and water in the stockpot. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Carefully add the chicken and return to the boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and poach about 90 minutes in all (**30 minutes is about right).