We have 3 free range chickens laying lovely eggs but we have decided
not to keep them during the Winter as we would have to traverse deep
snow, twice a day to feed them; also their water supply would freeze
very easily. I know they will be too tough to roast; I want to do a
soup/meal combination, does anyone have a favoutite recipe, I do have
book receipes but I am more interested in recipes that our parents
used, our Grandmothers etc?

Judith

The message
<f010f375-4994-47bd-8f14-c131600b26b4>
from Judith in France <judith.lea99> contains these words:

> We have 3 free range chickens laying lovely eggs but we have decided
> not to keep them during the Winter as we would have to traverse deep
> snow, twice a day to feed them; also their water supply would freeze
> very easily. I know they will be too tough to roast; I want to do a
> soup/meal combination, does anyone have a favoutite recipe, I do have
> book receipes but I am more interested in recipes that our parents
> used, our Grandmothers etc?

I found a 'recipe' in the Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume
Cookery Book entitled 'To make an old bird tender before the final
cooking process' which I am happy to copy out and send to you.

I am still looking for a recipe my MiL used which involve simmering
together an old chicken and a piece of pork but so far no luck. Still
autumn is a long way off - hopefully - so may find it by then!

Will keep looking ... Jennifer

On Jun 7, 4:22 pm, Jennifer Sparkes <jspar> wrote:
> The message
> <f010f375-4994-47bd-8f14-c131600b2>
> from Judith in France <judithle> contains these words:
>> I  found a 'recipe' in the Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume
> Cookery Book entitled 'To make an old bird tender before the final
> cooking process' which I am happy to copy out and send to you.
>
> I am still  looking for a recipe my MiL used which involve simmering
> together an old chicken and a piece of pork but so far no luck. Still
> autumn is a long way off - hopefully - so may find it by then!
>
> Will keep looking  ...  Jennifer

Thanks Jenny, that would be useful. Some friends dropped in this
afternoon, right in the middle of the French Open final! I asked one
and she gave me one her mother made, so as I have 3 hens, I would like
to try out 3 different recipes.

Judith

Judith in France wrote:
> On Jun 7, 4:22 pm, Jennifer Sparkes <jspar> wrote:
>
> Thanks Jenny, that would be useful. Some friends dropped in this
> afternoon, right in the middle of the French Open final! I asked one
> and she gave me one her mother made, so as I have 3 hens, I would like
> to try out 3 different recipes.

Please share?

On Jun 7, 7:01 pm, "Ophelia" <ophe> wrote:
> Judith in France wrote:
>>
>
> Please share?

Do you have any recipes for old broilers; no jokes please :-)

Judith

Judith in France wrote:
> On Jun 7, 7:01 pm, "Ophelia" <ophe> wrote:
>>
> Do you have any recipes for old broilers; no jokes please :-)
>
> Judith

According to Escoffier's La Guide Culinaire its just a matter of long
slow cooking.

But i have never understood the idea of a tough chicken. Granted an old
bird, hen or rooster, is not as tender as a young chicken but still, its
chicken, how tough can it be?

He does suggest that older birds might benefit from 'larding' in which
case he recommends a quick immersion in boiling water to 'stiffen' the
flesh before the larding.

But if i understand the principle, larding is hardly used these days
because the breeding of food stocks has improved dramatically since
Escoffier's day.

Usually only young chickens are broiled, the older being braised,
roasted, poached, poeled or sautŽed.

Here's a favorite of mine suitable for broiling.

Poulet saute a la Provencale

Season the pieces of chicken and sautŽ [or broil] them in oil.

When cooked, arrange in a deep dish, cover, keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with a little white wine, add a clove of crushed garlic,
a cup of roughly chopped, flesh only, tomato, 4 chopped anchovy fillets
[preferably in oil not salt packed], 12 blanched stoned black olives and
a pinch of chopped basil.

Allow to simmer for a few minutes then pour over the chicken.

Its quite possible i am not familiar with the way Judith is using the
term 'broiler' or broil, to me that means cooking under or over an open
flame in a 'broiler' or what is sometimes called a 'salamander' just a
mea culpa in case im not understand Judith's usage of the term.

On Jun 7, 11:13 pm, "Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." <jpsti>
wrote:
[..]
>
> Its quite possible i am not familiar with the way Judith is using the
> term 'broiler' or broil,  to me that means cooking under or over an open
> flame in a 'broiler' or what is sometimes called a 'salamander' just a
> mea culpa in case im not understand Judith's usage of the term.
> --
> Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.
>
> Domine, dirige nos.
> Let the games begin![..]

First of all, thank you. I am told that my hens, layers, will be
tough and will not be suitable for roasting. I am looking for a soup/
pot au chicken recipe. I have saved your recipe and as I have 3 hens,
I will try that on one, thanks.

Judith

Judith in France wrote:
>
> First of all, thank you. I am told that my hens, layers, will be
> tough and will not be suitable for roasting. I am looking for a soup/
> pot au chicken recipe. I have saved your recipe and as I have 3 hens,
> I will try that on one, thanks.
>
> Judith

Have you considered starting off by making a chicken consommŽ? Then
proceed with the consomme as a base for any other ingredients?
Celery, tarragon, morel mushrooms are sometimes added in large amounts
to flavor the consommŽ. It is sometimes recommended that when using
wine to flavor or "perfume" consommŽ that only the very finest wines
should be used in this manner.

There is a chicken soup called Couils a la reine but it is some what
labor intensive. What sets it apart is the use of the chicken bones,
pounded to a paste with rice.

Mulligatawny, variations on Olla Podrida, Puchero is a Spanish Pot au
Feu but not so well garnished as an Olla Podrida, a petite marmite is
the same as pot au feu to which is added a chicken or the carcass of a
chicken and a few giblets.

La poule au pot du roi Henri IV is nothing more than a pot au feu to
which is added a stuffed chicken, a piece of smoked bacon and some rice.

There are some very nice chicken soups of Mexican origin also.

The combination of chicken and fish is one of my favorites, a chicken
stock to cook some shrimp or prawns in then add some rice, veggies,
chicken meat and seasonings is very good.

Of course you cant really beat a good old, down home, chicken &
dumplings:) which is traditionally made with old chickens.

If any of the suggestions above are of interest and you wish any further
advice about them just let me know.

This is the best one I have and I copied it from Guisi:)

O

On Jun 8, 12:18 am, "Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." <jpsti>
wrote:
[..]
> Of course you cant really beat a good old, down home, chicken &
> dumplings:)  which is traditionally made with old chickens.
>
> If any of the suggestions above are of interest and you wish any further
> advice about them just let me know.
> --
> Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.
>
> Domine, dirige nos.
> Let the games begin![..]

Thank you, so much to take in! Chicken and dumpling recipe would be
appreciated.

Judith

On Jun 8, 7:51 am, "Ophelia" <ophe> wrote:
[..]
> fairly well, throw in the garlic, sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of salt per
> pund of poultry, a few whole peppercorns, the bay leaf, cover with wine and
> then the lid.  Cook slowly until tender.  This takes an hour or more. Add
> the peeled potatoes and onions and continue to simmer until they are done..
> Remove the garlic and the bay leaf.
> Rub butter and flour together to form a stiff paste.
> Open the pot and drop small bits of this buerre manie into the wine,
> stirring, until the sauce thickens a bit.  Taste for salt and correct.  Put
> into a tureen or other servibg vessel and sprinkle the crisp pork bits over
> the top."

Thanks O as I have 3 chickens, that will be used for 1 of them; thanks
to Guisi also.

Judith

"Judith in France" <judith.lea99> wrote in message
news:26b4
> We have 3 free range chickens laying lovely eggs but we have decided
> not to keep them during the Winter as we would have to traverse deep
> snow, twice a day to feed them; also their water supply would freeze
> very easily. I know they will be too tough to roast; I want to do a
> soup/meal combination, does anyone have a favoutite recipe, I do have
> book receipes but I am more interested in recipes that our parents
> used, our Grandmothers etc?

If you do want to raost them then try this slow roast recipe. Should break
down the toughness quite well.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4...-roast-chicken

"Crundy" <not> wrote in message
news:nz2d
> If you do want to raost them

*roast. Damn keyboard ;-)

On Jun 8, 8:36 pm, "Crundy" <n> wrote:
> "Judith in France" <judithle> wrote in messagenews:26b4
>
> > We have 3 free range chickens laying lovely eggs but we have decided
> > not to keep them during the Winter as we would have to traverse deep
> > snow, twice a day to feed them; also their water supply would freeze
> > very easily.   I know they will be too tough to roast; I want to do a
> > soup/meal combination, does anyone have a favoutite recipe, I do have
> > book receipes but I am more interested in recipes that our parents
> > used, our Grandmothers etc?
>
> If you do want to raost them then try this slow roast recipe. Should break
> down the toughness quite well.
>
> [..]

Thanks, another great recipe; now I just have to put my file in
order. Last night I wanted to make a sauce for deboned stuffed quail,
could I find the recipe that I had printed out some months ago? no.
Later I found it in the puddings section!

Judith in France wrote:
> On Jun 8, 12:18 am, "Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." wrote:
>>
> Thank you, so much to take in! Chicken and dumpling recipe would be
> appreciated.
>
> Judith

THere are lots of recipes, but probly the first thing is, are you making
it with left over, pre cooked chicken, or using a whole, raw, uncooked
chicken?

If the latter then the stock is the first thing. Once you have cooked
your chicken in water, removed it, remove the usable meats, return the
carcass to the stock pot and continue cooking with onions, celery and
carrots till you have the chicken stock you desire. Then strain the
stock and begin to prepare to make chicken stew.


Add your veggies to the prepared chicken stock, peas, carrots, potatoes
(all small dice) celery, garlic etc.

I like a nice creamy chicken stew so i make a blond roux with a bit of
butter & white flour, i use half & half (a commercially available half
cream half milk US product) to add to the roux.

Once i have every thing assembled and in the pot i just let it simmer
for about 15 minutes to cook the veggies and the dumplings. If you use
a raw or lightly pan seared chicken to make the stew with it takes
longer, and don't add any thickening agent till the chicken is done and
the stock skimmed.

Dumplings of course are just flour, baking powder, salt, butter and
milk, mixed to a soft dough consistency, and drooped by tbs. on to the
top of the chicken stew, cover and set to simmer for the last 15 minutes
of cooking. I usually make extra batter and keep it over for the next
day to make fresh dumplings with.

There are so many variations on chicken stew i wouldn't know were to
begin to arrive at a consensus of 'chicken stew', but corn and okra are
often Southern US additions, white wine, mushrooms.

Some times people use a brown roux and red wine to make the chicken
with, in which case a 'browning' of the raw chicken is sometimes used
instead of a boiling of it, the roux is then made with the pan drippings
and a good German Riesling can be used to a very good effect.

Sometimes a bit of ham is included for flavor, small 'pearl' onions
cooked whole, thyme, parsley, white pepper, lemon juice. Marsala wine
is famous in chicken dishes, i have known people to use olives, either
green or black, port, sherry, vermouth, tomatoes, even a bit of vinegar.

This is all just off the top of my head so let me know if it don't make
any sense.