Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [68]
4. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a warmed serving platter. Remove the cheesecloth (if you used it) and string from the chicken and leeks. Keep warm, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Strain the cooking liquid. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top then skim off the fat and discard.
5. Place the mustard and shallot in a small bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the olive oil. Add ‘A cup (125 ml) of the strained cooking liquid. Stir in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables, sauce, and coarse sea salt.
WHAT DID HOOVER REALLY SAY?
Politicians and kings have always made promises to win power and favor with the people. While there is no way to check what Henri IV of France really said, Herbert Hoover’s presidential archives are quite adamant about what he said. He is often quoted as saying “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.”
Many campaign slogans were put forward during Hoover’s 1928 presidential campaign: “Vote for Prosperity,” “Who but Hoover?” But the archives claim he never said “a chicken in every pot.” The phrase originated in an advertisement placed by the Republican National Committee. It claimed that Hoover would continue the policies of Harding and Coolidge. They had “reduced hours and increased earning capacity, silenced discontent and put the proverbial chicken in every pot and a car in every backyard to boot.”
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How to Truss and Why
Yes, you can get away without doing it, but trussing gives the bird a nice compact shape and makes it easier to turn and move around in the roasting pan. Truss after seasoning the bird with salt and pepper and placing any other seasonings or stuffing in the cavity. First, tuck the neck flap under the bird and bend the wings back, under the bird, using the tips to hold the flap in place. Or, if the wing tips have been removed, secure the flap with a metal skewer or toothpick, and then turn the bird on its back. Take a piece of string at least 4 feet (1.3 m) long and place it under the tail. Cross the two ends of string above the bird and then loop them around each leg. Pull tightly to bring the tail and legs together, then tie a knot. Turn the bird on its breast. Take one end of the string, leaving the other end loose, and pull it across the leg, then loop it around the wing, through the space formed by the wing tip across the neck flap, and then through and around the other wing. Tie the ends of the string together in a knot on the side of the bird, and cut off any excess string.
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Guinea Hen with Raspberries
The guinea hen is a West African relative of the chicken and partridge, originally from Guinea. It has a gamey taste and can dry out easily because it has little fat. Cooking the bird in a covered pot and adding fat solves that problem, and raspberries match its stronger flavor. The raspberries inside the bird will tint the bird’s juices red: don’t let this fool you into thinking that it needs more cooking.
1 guinea hen, about 3 pounds (1.35 kg)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (250 g) raspberries
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter, softened
3 thyme sprigs
½ cup (125 ml) port
1 tablespoon raspberry jam or jelly
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (22o°C). Pat the bird dry and season it inside and out with salt and pepper. Set ½ cup (62 g) of the raspberries aside and place the rest inside the hen. Truss it, then smear the skin with the softened butter.
2. Place the hen and the thyme in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole. Pour in 1 cup (250 ml) water, cover, and place in the oven. Cook for 1 to 1¼ hours or until the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a skewer or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 165°F (73°C). Transfer the hen to a platter, breast down, and cover loosely with aluminum foil.
3. Skim off the fat from the cooking juices and bring to a boil over