Happy Election Day! I started this blog for a couple of reasons. Mainly, Covid had put me into a malaise. At the beginning of the shutdown, it was something new and, for lack of a better term, exciting. Not in a joyous manner, but a mix of trepidation and trying to find safe things to do to keep my family from going stir-crazy. After time had dragged on and the realization set in that this wasn’t going to last a few weeks, or even months, but a new way of living for quite some time, a bit of depression took hold. I fell into a rutty vicious cycle: wake, work, cook, watch tv; repeat.
Much of what I was watching was about the virus’ worldwide impact along with a heavy dose of politics, and maybe a movie sprinkled in here-or-there. I’ve always been a news and political junkie, but it was becoming too much and way too depressing. I needed an escape. Enter challenging myself to make daily meals and conducting requisite regional/historical/culinary research. Then I started an Instagram account. This blog folllowed. It was keeping me so busy, but thankfully, away from politics on tv or on my Facebook feed. It was stressful; but a healthy, challenging and rewarding stress. I also vowed to keep this as a politics-free space for myself to ensure I don’t get sucked into the negativity and division that has roiled our country….until today; kind of. While I’m not going to promote one side or bash the other side, I’m here to celebrate politics and one of our greatest functions as a human society, the ability to choose our own leader.
Of course, in politics, the waters can get as murky as a summer lobster boil. But, for the most part, politicians enter the fray with a sense of optimism, love of their fellow man, and eventually make some political promises that make or break their campaign effort. What better link between my two interests than a meal based upon such a political promise?
“A chicken in every pot” is a line that gets thrown around, jovially, from time-to-time, especially in the arena of politics. Where does it come from? The most recent mention I can find was from the 1928 election where a turn of the phrase was improperly attributed to Herbert Hoover. While he never directly made the statement, his supporters put out an advertisement with that very headline, adding in “[a]nd a car in every backyard, to boot.” to signify the prosperity Republicans would deliver, if victorious. This proved fatal in very short order as the statement was made just on the eve of the dawn of the Depression Era and it hounded him for his single presidential term. He ended up losing to FDR in the next election.
The term itself, though, originates even further back in the political annals of history. How far? Back to the 17th century campaign of one Henry IV in France. While his use was not braggadocious, it was rather a message of hope. His fervent wish was that even the peasants of his country would be able to enjoy a chicken dinner with their family on Sundays. King Henry, or “Henry the Great”, was considered to be a leader for all people, concerned for every citizen under his reign. His compassion for the plight of the peasant was unmatched among his royal peers. His steadfast leadership was fruitful for his subjects, and he also ushered in a period of calm peace following decades of wars. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the same mental peace I have achieved than to make this French classic dish on a day that is sure to be anything but calm.
Chicken in a Pot
Poule au Pot, adapted from Essential Pepin, Jacques Pepin
My chicken came with no extra goodies, so I used a reserved, frozen duck neck that I had from when I made my duck compote. Even an extra backbone would be better than nothing. It’s helpful to keep various parts in your freezer, you never know when you’ll need them. When you reach a critical mass, make your own stock!
1 chicken, approximately 5 lbs, using giblets/neck (if available)
16 cups water
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
5 bay leaves
15 whole cloves
1 tbsp table salt
1.5 tsp black peppercorns
2 large onions, peeled, quartered, leaving root stem intact
4 large carrots (approx 1.5 lbs), peeled
2.5 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and quartered
Small savoy cabbage, about 2 lbs, quartered
5 large mushrooms, about 14 oz
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise and rinsed thoroughly
Parsley
Accoutrements: toasted baguette slices, cornichons, shredded Gruyère, dijon mustard
Place the chicken, spine-up, along with any giblets (sans liver) or neck into a large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. Then, lower to medium to maintain a slow boil for 15 minutes. Skim any fat/foam/impurities from the top. Add the herbs, cloves, salt and peppercorns. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook an additional 20 minutes. Afterwards, turn the heat off and let everything sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the whole chicken, draining any liquid back into the pot and place on a cutting board to cool for 20-30 minutes. Remove and discard the skin from the bird. Then, carefully, running your fingers along the bones, remove the meat into large in-tact pieces, when possible. Place the chicken into a casserole dish, along with about ½ cup of cooking liquid. Cover and refrigerate.
Meanwhile, return the bones back to the stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for one hour.
After an hour of simmering, pour your broth, through a fine mesh strainer, into a large bowl. Discard the bones and other items caught in the strainer. Then in 3 batches, pour the broth into a 4-cup fat separator. Let the broth settle for a couple of minutes and slowly pour the strained broth into a large dutch oven (discarding the fat) and repeat with remaining broth. Season with salt and black pepper and add the prepared vegetables.
Bring to a boil over high heat and gently simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes; adjusting the heat as necessary. After the vegetables have simmered for 20 minutes, remove them and cut into serving size pieces along with the chicken. Fill a bowl about 2/3 full with the broth. Add in the chicken and vegetables and garnish with parsley. Serve with accoutrements.
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Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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