Poached Chicken and Vegetables in Broth

Name: Poached Chicken and Vegetables in Broth
Yield: serves 6 to 8, with extra broth
Ingredients: 6 quarts cold fresh water; 1/4 cup coarse sea salt, or 3 tablespoons kosher salt; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 1/4 cup (1/4 ounce) dried porcini slices; 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 1 or 2 pieces hard rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, if available, rinsed and scraped (see page 66); 3/4 pound leeks, 1 1/2 inches thick, trimmed and rinsed; 1/2 pound large carrots, trimmed and peeled; 1/2 pound small parsnips, trimmed and peeled; 1/2 pound large celery stalks, trimmed; 3/4 pound celery root, completely peeled and trimmed; 1 fennel bulb, stalks trimmed and coarse outer leaves pulled off; 8 small onions (each about 2 ounces), peeled; 3 1/2-to-4-pound roasting chicken with giblets; 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt; 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1 small or medium lemon; Salsa Verde (page 362) and/or Smooth Sweet Red Pepper Sauce (page 364); Gnoccho Grande (page 336); A 10-to-12-quart stockpot; Cheesecloth to make a 30-inch square, triple thickness; Kitchen twine

December 14, 2011

I know that “boiled” anything is not a popular concept these days (one reason I call this “poached”), but don’t disdain or neglect this elemental dish. It is still one of the easiest and most satisfying one-pot meals we can give our families. It’s also faster to make than ever: the big birds I buy—plump, meaty, and best when organically raised—are thoroughly cooked, tender, and moist after barely 45 minutes in the broth. When you really want to make it festive, substitute a capon for the chicken. And with markets that offer an unprecedented array of produce and herbs in all seasons, we can surround the chicken with a greater variety of vegetables than our great-great-grandmothers ever had at one time. In this recipe, I’ve loaded the pot with seven hearty and aromatic vegetables (almost 5 pounds’ worth), but you can certainly choose others or vary the amounts. Just cut enough vegetables overall to give everyone a bountiful serving, drizzling the meat and vegetables with some extra-virgin olive oil and a few grains of sea salt to make it complete. But I also hope you’ll top each portion, as I do, with a dollop of salsa verde, a traditional condiment for boiled foods. The bright, acidic flavor and fresh, uncooked texture of the finely chopped salsa are a perfect counterpoint to the poached meat and vegetables—it makes a meal of boiled chicken exciting as well as comforting.

Recipe notes