Sancho’s Heaven
Sancho, Don Quixote’s squire, is much more focused on his belly than is his master, buthe’s also relegated to meager fare: often cheese and bread, stored in his donkey’s saddlebags for many a day.
Invited to a rich farmer’s wedding, however, Sancho finds himself in culinary paradise. Cruising the food preparation area, where entire steers stuffed with suckling pigs are roasting, a hospitable cook gives him three poached chickens and two geese, a pot in which to carry them, and these instructions:
“Eat, friend, and break your fast with these appetizers until it’s time to eat.”
Poaching chicken is an excellent way to get tender meat and a fine stock.
Poached Chicken
1 whole 2-3 lb chicken
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Herbes de Provençe
Few sprigs parsley
1 tsp each salt and black peppercorns
1 ½ cups organic, low-sodium chicken stock
1 ½ cups dry white wine
1 ½ cups water
Wash chicken and check for giblets, which can be cooked alongside the chicken, except for the liver. Place chicken in large pot.
Add all other ingredients, cover pot, bring slowly to a boil, then reduce heat so that the chicken simmers for about 1 ½ hours. Cool in stock.
Drain chicken. Put on a platter and peel off the skin, then remove meat, reserving the gristle, skin and vegetables for a grateful dog.
The stock is quite wonderful as is, but it can be made even better by reducing it over high heat.
You can now make all sorts of chicken dishes: chicken salad, chicken soup, curry, and Nina’s husband’s favorite: creamed, sherried chicken with mushrooms served in patty shells.
Freeze extra chicken and stock.
In Santiago, Chile, there is a famous recipe for “Chicken in Brandy,” which I enjoyed in a restaurant years ago. Add a third of a cup brandy to the other stock ingredients, flame it to cook off the alcohol, then simmer as above. Chicken livers were made into pâté, served with crusty bread as an appetizer, then with the chicken. The incredible stock was served in small demitasse cups after the chicken.
Both versions of poached chicken are best served on the second day.