Ingredients
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 1½ hrs poaching, 50 mins cooking
- 1 x 2kg/4½lb organic chicken
- 2 onions, peeled & 1 of them stuck with 2 cloves
- 2 carrots, peeled & sliced in half lengthways
- 3 sticks of celery, chopped in half
- 2 leeks, trimmed & well washed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- Salt
Sauce
- 55g/2oz butter
- 55g/2oz flour
- 400ml/14fl oz poaching stock (from the chicken)
- 300ml/10fl oz dry white wine
- 240ml/8fl oz double cream
- 100g/3½ oz Gruyere cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 55g/2 oz tarragon leaves, chopped (or dill)
- Salt & pepper
Topping
- 55g/2oz breadcrumbs
- 30g/1oz Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
- Put the chicken in a large pot, add the vegetables & herbs & salt.
- Poach very gently for around 1½ hrs, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface. Once cooked, lift out the bird & allow to cool.
- Strain the stock through a fine sieve & discard all solids.
- Leave to settle & lift off any surface fat with several sheets of absorbent kitchen paper. Set aside until you are ready to make the sauce.
- Remove all the meat from the chicken carcass (discarding skin & also removing all sinews from the drumsticks) & cut into large, bite-sized pieces.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan, add the flour & cook for 3 mins without browning. Gradually add the hot poaching stock, white wine & cream & stir until thickened.
- Stir in the cheese, mustard & tarragon, correct the seasoning & simmer all together for about 20 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8.
- Put the chicken in a buttered gratin dish, pour over the sauce & sprinkle with the breadcrumbs & Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins until the dish is golden brown & bubbling well around the edges.
- Eat with buttered new potatoes & a crisp green salad.
