Cold Poached Chicken

This is a wonderful dish to serve for lunch or Sunday night supper during warm summer weather, as it is light yet piquant in flavor when served with herb mayonnaise and green beans vinaigrette. It is also pleasing to the eye on a hot day because of its bed of lettuce garnished with the green beans and watercress. And, sometimes of especial importance in summer, there is the added convenience of being able to prepare the chicken and its accompaniments in advance.

Chicken

• 2 chickens, 3 to 3½ pounds each

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• Romaine lettuce, enough to cover serving platter

• Garnish of watercress

1. Wash the chickens inside and out and pat them dry. Rub the inside cavities with a mixture of the salt and pepper. Tie the legs together. Place the chickens in a heavy casserole or pot just large enough to hold them.

Poaching Stock

• 1½ cups cold water

• ½ cup dry white wine or vermouth

• 1 stalk celery with the leaves

• Few sprigs parsley

• Sprig thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1. Add the ingredients for the poaching stock to the casserole and cover tightly. Set the casserole over medium heat and bring the stock to a simmer. Lower the heat so that the chickens continue to cook at just under a simmer for 45 minutes to an hour when they should be tender.

2. Cool the chickens in the stock. Remove and tilt them to drain off juices from the inside cavities. Place them on a platter to further drain for about 15 minutes, then cover and place in the refrigerator.

3. Before serving, cut off the wings (don’t serve the wings as they have very little meat on this size chicken) and the legs. Remove the skin from the breast as it is not especially attractive and it is easier to slice the chicken without it. For thin, even slices I find a sharp knife with a wide blade most useful.

4. Arrange the chickens on a bed of romaine lettuce. Garnish with green beans vinaigrette (prepared from the following recipe) and sprigs of watercress. Serve with a bowl of light mayonnaise (page 15) flavored with finely cut tarragon and watercress or parsley.