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Ok so we probably don't have mussel beds but a number of us have chooks and I should think most of us can manage garlic and tarragon. Definitely not one for those on a diet (sorry!) nor something for every day. We cook this three to four times a year.
1 chicken approx 1.5kg (3 1/2 lb)
1tbsp olive oil
50g (2oz) butter
2 tbsps tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar (good excuse to make your own)
300ml (10fl oz ) Chicken Stock
300ml (10fl oz ) Chardonnay wine (oh dear that leaves over half a bottle - hic!)
25g (1oz) fresh tarragon
4 garlic cloves, peeled
900g (2lb) mussels, cleaned
300ml double cream
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Joint the chicken into 8 pieces: to do this, pull one leg away from the body and cut through the sin, down towards where the thighbone joins the main carcass. Twist the leg so that the ball and socket joint is exposed and cut through it to detach the leg. Repeat on other side. Cut each leg in half through the joint and cut off and discard feet bones from the end of each drumstick. Now cut through the skin down the centre of the breastbone and ease back the breast meat slightly. Cut along either side of the breastbone using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Open up the bird and remove the breast and wing joints by cutting horizontally through the rib bones. Cut the breast and wing joint diagonally in half so that each piece has an equal amount of breast meat. Cut off the tips of the wings. Use backbone, breastbone, wing tips and feet bones to make stock (or bin)
Season the chicken pieces with a little s&p. Heat oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan (wok is good), add chicken pieces and fry skin-side down for 10 mins or until well-browned. Turn over the continue cooking for 5 mins. Transfer breast meat portions to a plate and continue to fry legs and thighs for another 5 mins.
Remove remaining chook for the pan and pour away excess fat. Add vinegar and boil until it is almost all evaporated. Add chicken stock and wine and boil to reduce to half its original volume.
Return chicken to pan and add half tarragon with its stalks and the whole garlic cloves. Partly cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 30 mins until chicken is tender and cooked through.
Add the mussels to the chicken in the pan, cover and cook over a high heat for about 3 mins until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed.Lift the chicken and mussels out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a warmed servng dish cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid to remove the tarragon and garlic, then return it to the pan and bring back to the bol. Boil until reduced by half, then taste it. It should be really well flavoured. Chop the remaining tarragon leaves, setting aside a few sprigs for garnish.
Add the cream to the pan and boil for 2-3 mins until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped tarragon and season with s&p if needed. Simmer for 1 min to release some of the flavour from the tarrogon then pour over the chicken and mussels. Serve garnished with the reserved tarragon sprigs and accompanied by a tossed green salad and boiled new pots.
And another glass/bottle of wine of course.
Enjoy
1 chicken approx 1.5kg (3 1/2 lb)
1tbsp olive oil
50g (2oz) butter
2 tbsps tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar (good excuse to make your own)
300ml (10fl oz ) Chicken Stock
300ml (10fl oz ) Chardonnay wine (oh dear that leaves over half a bottle - hic!)
25g (1oz) fresh tarragon
4 garlic cloves, peeled
900g (2lb) mussels, cleaned
300ml double cream
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Joint the chicken into 8 pieces: to do this, pull one leg away from the body and cut through the sin, down towards where the thighbone joins the main carcass. Twist the leg so that the ball and socket joint is exposed and cut through it to detach the leg. Repeat on other side. Cut each leg in half through the joint and cut off and discard feet bones from the end of each drumstick. Now cut through the skin down the centre of the breastbone and ease back the breast meat slightly. Cut along either side of the breastbone using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Open up the bird and remove the breast and wing joints by cutting horizontally through the rib bones. Cut the breast and wing joint diagonally in half so that each piece has an equal amount of breast meat. Cut off the tips of the wings. Use backbone, breastbone, wing tips and feet bones to make stock (or bin)
Season the chicken pieces with a little s&p. Heat oil and butter in a large, deep frying pan (wok is good), add chicken pieces and fry skin-side down for 10 mins or until well-browned. Turn over the continue cooking for 5 mins. Transfer breast meat portions to a plate and continue to fry legs and thighs for another 5 mins.
Remove remaining chook for the pan and pour away excess fat. Add vinegar and boil until it is almost all evaporated. Add chicken stock and wine and boil to reduce to half its original volume.
Return chicken to pan and add half tarragon with its stalks and the whole garlic cloves. Partly cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 30 mins until chicken is tender and cooked through.
Add the mussels to the chicken in the pan, cover and cook over a high heat for about 3 mins until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed.Lift the chicken and mussels out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a warmed servng dish cover and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid to remove the tarragon and garlic, then return it to the pan and bring back to the bol. Boil until reduced by half, then taste it. It should be really well flavoured. Chop the remaining tarragon leaves, setting aside a few sprigs for garnish.
Add the cream to the pan and boil for 2-3 mins until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped tarragon and season with s&p if needed. Simmer for 1 min to release some of the flavour from the tarrogon then pour over the chicken and mussels. Serve garnished with the reserved tarragon sprigs and accompanied by a tossed green salad and boiled new pots.
And another glass/bottle of wine of course.
Enjoy
DDL
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