Poule au Pot

This recipe is the brainchild of Henry IV of France who, despite having 56 mistresses, was happily married to his second wife, Marie de Medici, who was addicted to eating globe artichokes for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities, and having ended religious wars and rebuilt French commerce and industry, turned what remained of his energies to improving the lot of the peasants of France.

This is his recipe, which de dictated saying,

If I were granted more years to live I would make it so every family in the Kingdom could have a chicken for dinner each Sunday.

Poule au pot is cooked in a large pot, in boiling water for 90 minutes. It takes 2 litres of water, and the result is copious quantities of brilliant stock, amazing flavoured sauce, plus cooked vegetables and chicken with a flavour you wouldn’t believe.

Boiling is so much more efficient than roasting, allowing us to stuff the bird safely, something frowned upon in more conventional cooking. The downside: roasted chicken skin, which I love, but to be honest, there are so many wonderful flavours in this meal I didn’t miss it that much.

The meat

A 1.8 Kg chicken and a few slices of belly pork, around about 500 g, which are both boiled together.

The vegetables

There are two sets of vegetables for this dish. The first is to flavour the stock and the second to serve at table. The first consists of all those vegetables at the bottom of the fridge, the old onion, the green tops of leeks, some cabbage, overly large and split carrots.

The second are whatever you want from potatoes to turnips. Once the chicken is cooked, the whole lot is removed from the stock, and the new vegetables are allowed to cook in the stock until they are tender.

Forcemeat

The origin of the word forcemeat comes from the action – you force the meat into the cavity, in other words to stuff.

Ingredients

300 g breadcrumbs

2 garlic cloves

100 g gherkins

1 tbs Dijon mustard

3 rashers bacon

100 g belly pork

1 chopped onion

1/4 tsp Pepper

This stuffing is based around breadcrumbs, and all the ingredients are minced in a food processor.

Force all the stuffing into the cavity, really pushing it home with the spoon. Then pull the skin from the vent into position and it is time to truss the bird.

Cooking the poule au pot

Place the chicken into a large stock pot. Liberally cover the bird with cold water and add all your collected vegetables. The more the merrier really. If you have enough garlic, cut the whole bulb in half and add both halves, as well as about 500 g belly pork.

Bring to the boil and cook for 90 minutes on a low but steady simmer.

Around about an hour into the cooking, test for seasoning.

The sauce

Take about a third of the stock and reduce by about half by gentle simmering. Add about 30 ml white wine. You can thicken with a little cornflour if you prefer, or if you wish to be terribly English, make a full on gravy.

 

Get Crackling with Roast Belly

This is easy and amazingly tasty, it does take a while to cook but once its in you can relax and let it cook itself. Serve it as a cheap roast dinner.

Roasted Belly Pork

Long slow cooking for a delicious finish to this meat.

About 1kg joint of belly pork

3 cloves cut into slices

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 2

1.Place the joint skin side down on a clean work surface and season with salt and pepper lightly.

2.Place the slice of garlic evenly over the meat

3.Take a large piece of foil big enough to cover the meat and down the sides but leaving the skin free of foil. Press the foil snugly around the meat and carefully lift the whole thing up and place a roasting pan with the skin open on the top and the foil is underneath the meat.

4.Salt the top part of the skin lightly to help it crisp up.

5.Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes at 160C/gas mark 2 then turn the heat down to 150C/gas mark 1 and roast for 2 ½ hours.

To vary:

· Add a sprinkling of rosemary or a pinch of sage with the garlic

· Brush the skin with a good coating of honey before seasoning for a sticky crackling.

Meatloaf and Ham Terrine Buffet Party Recipes

Here are two very easy and inexpensive buffet party recipes that are very tasty and will have people asking you for the recipes. They are two of the recipes we have used on cookery courses at the WI Cookery school at Denman College. We had a great time at the beginning of November there and we are heading back there this weekend.

Meatloaf

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time about 50 minutes

Makes about 8 slices

Ingredients

100g breadcrumbs

500g pork mince

1 onion, finely chopped, use a food processor if you like it very finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Good pinch dried sage

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper

6 slices of streaky bacon

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/ fan 170C/gas 5

1.Place the breadcrumbs, pork mince, onions, garlic, herbs and seasoning in a mixing bowl and combine well.

2.Add the egg and mix well with hands, massaging the mixture.

3.Line a loaf tin with the bacon over lapping each one very slightly.

4.Spoon in the meatloaf mixture pressing firmly down with the hands. Wrap the overhanging bacon over the top to cover the meat loaf.

5.Place the loaf tin in a roasting pan and pour hot water from the kettle around the meatloaf until it reaches about half way up the sides of the tin. Unless you prefer a slightly crusty finish as I do, just place the tin on a baking sheet.

6.Place in the oven and cook for about 50-55 minutes or until the mixture has come away from the sides.

Ham hock Terrine

Cooking and preparation time 3 hours plus setting time in refrigerator.

For 4 people

2 ham hocks

2 carrots, peeled if necessary and cut into large pieces

1 onion, halved

1 stick celery, sliced

Pepper to taste I like to use plenty of black pepper for this recipe

12g gelatine

1.Put the hocks in a large lidded pan surrounded by the vegetables and pepper.

2.Pour over sufficient cold water to cover. Cover with the lid and bring to the boil.

3.Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 ½ hours or until the meat is tender.

4.Remove the hocks from the water and place to one side to cool.

5.Strain the stock into a jug to cool.

6.Meanwhile line a moistened loaf tin with a large piece of cling film and smooth out. Repeat this so you have a double layer. Leave the rest to overhang the tin.

7.Remove all the meat from the bones, tearing into strips and placing in a bowl.

8.If using leaf gelatine soak in plenty of cold water for about 5 minutes, or follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the pack. Heat about 300ml of the cooking stock in a pan until warm and add the gelatine, stirring until dissolved. Leave to cool.

9.Lay the strips of meat in the prepared tin and pack in well expelling as much air as possible.

10.Pour over the cooled stock to just cover the meat.

11.Seal the terrine with the cling film. Place another similar sized tin on top to weigh it down gently. Place in the refrigerator and leave to set. Slice when completely chilled.