Supreme Of Old Hen

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Servings: 6 Difficulty: Advanced
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A rich, slow-braised chicken dish with a creamy herb sauce and browned Parmesan crust.
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Supreme Of Old Hen

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: , , Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 6 Calories: 905.4

Description

This Supreme of Old Hen transforms a tough, mature bird into a tender, flavorful masterpiece through slow braising. The key is patience: stewing the chicken for hours allows the connective tissues to break down, resulting in succulent meat that falls off the bone. The accompanying sauce is a delightful mix of sweet tart apples, aromatic celery, and fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and tarragon, all thickened with a classic beurre mani and finished with sour cream for a velvety texture. Topped with grated Parmesan and broiled until golden, this dish offers a comforting, hearty experience perfect for a special family dinner or a cozy weekend meal.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Disjoint the chicken into pieces.
  2. Fry the chicken pieces in a pot until slightly browned on all sides.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
  4. In the same pot, add the dry white wine, sliced apples, celery, chopped onion, cilantro leaves, basil, a pinch of tarragon, and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Hungarian paprika.
  5. Cover and simmer the vegetables, stirring frequently, until they are tender.
  6. Return the chicken pieces to the pot and add the condensed chicken stock.
  7. Cover and simmer gently until the chicken is just tender, checking frequently to avoid overcooking. This may take 1 to 3 hours depending on the age of the hen.
  8. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and place it in a shallow roasting pan.
  9. Pass the cooked vegetables and liquid through a food mill to create a smooth pure.
  10. If the pure is too thin, boil it down to reduce the liquid.
  11. Thicken the sauce with beurre mani and stir in the sour cream. Heat gently, ensuring the sauce does not boil.
  12. Stir in the chicken base or bouillon cubes for seasoning.
  13. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the roasting pan and sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
  14. Place the pan under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 905.4kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 48.8g76%
Saturated Fat 19.0g95%
Cholesterol 255.2mg86%
Sodium 648.4mg28%
Total Carbohydrate 30.6g11%
Dietary Fiber 12.9g52%
Sugars 11.7g
Protein 75.9g152%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Use a mature stewing hen for best results; younger frying chickens will fall apart during the long cooking process.

Beurre mani is a mixture of equal parts soft butter and flour, kneaded together until smooth. It is used to thicken sauces without forming lumps.

Do not let the sauce boil after adding the sour cream, as it may curdle.

This recipe was modified from Irma S. Rombauer's "Joy of Cooking."

Keywords: chicken, hen, braised, stew, apples, celery, onion, herbs, tarragon, basil, cilantro, parmesan, sour cream, beurre manie, white wine, comfort food, slow cooked, hearty, main course
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