Poëlings

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5-quart (4.7-litre) heavy lidded cocotte, preferably oval
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Large basting spoon
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Damp muslin or clean lint-free cloth
• •Fat separator or shallow ladle
• •Warm sauceboat

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bird

   Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 325°F (165°C). Let the chicken stand outside the cold for 30 minutes, then season the cavity and skin evenly with the salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips underneath and tie the legs loosely together so the bird cooks compactly without closing the cavity completely.

   Choose a deep, heavy cocotte that holds the chicken closely without touching it. In a wide vessel the butter runs away from the bird, the matignon spreads thin, and both are more likely to scorch.
2. 2

   Build the aromatic bed

   Spread the Matignon (No. 227) across the bottom of the cocotte in an even, compact layer. Set the chicken breast-side up directly on the matignon and pour 5 tablespoons (75 ml / 70 g) of the melted butter over it, working the butter across the breast, legs, and wings with a spoon. Cover the cocotte tightly.

3. 3

   Roast without liquid

   Cook the covered chicken for 50 minutes. Open the pot every 20 minutes and baste the bird with the butter and juices gathered around the matignon, adding some of the reserved melted butter whenever there is too little to spoon. Do not add stock or water. If the vegetables smell sharply toasted or begin catching at the edges, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C) and add a spoonful of butter. Ça se rattrape. Liquid would save the vegetables by changing the dish, which is no rescue at all.

4. 4

   Test the doneness

   After 50 minutes, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast without touching bone. Continue covered cooking and basting until it reaches about 145°F (63°C), usually another 10 to 20 minutes. The thigh should already be approaching 160°F (71°C). Judge by temperature, not a rigid clock, because the shape and starting chill of a chicken matter more than its label.

5. 5

   Bronze the skin

   Raise the oven to 425°F (220°C), uncover the cocotte, and baste the chicken with the remaining butter. Roast uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is burnished and the breast reaches 165°F (74°C), with the thigh at least 170°F (77°C). If the matignon is already deep brown, lift the chicken onto a shallow roasting tray before this final colouring and keep the vegetables in their cocotte off the heat. If the meat is done but the skin remains pale, give the bird 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler, watching it constantly. That is the home salamander.

6. 6

   Rest the chicken

   Transfer the chicken to a warm platter and cover it loosely, leaving space for the skin to remain dry. Rest it for 15 minutes while you make the poëling stock. Keep every drop in the cocotte, including the butter. This is the unusual point: do not remove the fat yet, because it holds much of the aroma extracted from the chicken and matignon.

7. 7

   Draw the poëling stock

   Set the cocotte over medium heat and pour the hot Brown Veal Stock (No. 9) directly onto the greasy matignon. Bring it to a gentle simmer, scraping the fond from the pot floor, and cook for a full 10 minutes. The stock needs that time in contact with the aromatic butter to reclaim the savour carried there during roasting. Keep the simmer calm so the stock extracts rather than evaporates away.

8. 8

   Strain and degrease

   Pour the contents of the cocotte through a fine sieve lined with damp muslin or a clean, lint-free cloth, allowing the liquid to pass without crushing the matignon. Let it settle briefly, then skim the butter carefully or use a fat separator. Add any clear resting juices from the chicken. If small beads of fat remain, draw a clean strip of paper towel lightly across the surface. Ça se rattrape. Taste the sauce: if it seems weak, reduce it for a few minutes until clear, savoury, and lightly coating, but do not thicken it with flour.

9. 9

   Carve and serve

   Remove the trussing, carve the chicken, and arrange the breast and leg pieces generously on the warm platter. Pour only a spoonful of sauce around the meat so the skin stays bronzed, then send the remaining poëling stock to the table in a warmed sauceboat. Serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •A snug 5-quart (4.7-litre) cocotte matters more than a fashionable vessel. Too much empty floor exposes the butter and vegetables to direct heat, while a close pot keeps the aromatic bed underneath the chicken where it belongs.
• •Use Brown Veal Stock (No. 9) with enough body to taste savoury but not so concentrated or salty that ten minutes of simmering turns it harsh. The poëling stock should remain clear and pourable, closer to a fine jus than a thick sauce.
• •A modern glazed cocotte needs none of the long soaking once prescribed for new earthenware. Wash it normally according to its maker's instructions. Cooking well is not cooking fancy.
• •A broad white Burgundy suits the butter and browned poultry, while a light red Burgundy works if the sauce has reduced to a deeper savour. Neither needs ceremony beyond a glass and someone ready for a second helping.
• •Leftover chicken keeps for up to 3 days in the cold. Store the sauce separately and warm it gently, adding any set chicken juices before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The Matignon (No. 227) and Brown Veal Stock (No. 9) can be prepared ahead and held separately in the cold. Cool the matignon before placing the chicken over it, and heat the stock before it reaches the roasting vessel.
• •Season the chicken up to 12 hours ahead and leave it uncovered in the cold. The dry surface colours more readily during the final uncovered roast.
• •This dish is best cooked close to serving, but the chicken may rest for 20 minutes while the sauce is finished. Keep it loosely covered rather than sealing it under foil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 340g)