Stewed Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce
From Van
Gogh's Table at the Auberge Ravoux
Recipes From the Artist's Last Home and Paintings
of Café Life
Stewed
chicken:
1 roasting chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), rinsed
2 medium onions, quartered
2 carrots, cut into thirds
1 leek (white and light green parts), trimmed, washed
and cut into thirds
2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
1 celery root, peeled and quartered
Several leafy sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1/3 pound slab bacon (optional)
Mustard-cream
sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted imported or organic butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup hot chicken stock, strained
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 tablespoons moutarde de Meaux, or any grainy
Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste |
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To
prepare chicken: Put all of the ingredients in
a large pot with enough water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until
chicken is fully cooked, about 1 hour. Pour 3/4 cup
of the chicken stock through a sieve and keep warm
until ready to use for the sauce.
To
prepare sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan;
whisk in the flour, mixing vigorously for 30 seconds.
Pour in the reserved hot stock, a little at a time,
and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens,
about 45 seconds. Stir in the cream, the mustard and
season with salt and pepper. Stir to blend thoroughly,
then transfer to a serving bowl.
Remove
the chicken and vegetables from the cooking liquid.
Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths. Transfer
to a serving platter or onto individual plates along
with the vegetables and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of
the sauce over. Good served with rice pilaf.
Optional:
Additional vegetables, such as cabbage and turnips
can be added to this dish. Just be sure to wash, trim
and quarter them; add to the chicken during the last
30 minutes of cooking.
Yields
4 servings.
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