Serves 6
For centuries in France, families who subsisted on little, made pot au feu (literally pot on the fire) a dish of boiled meat and vegetables. Now considered the national dish of France, pot au feu was once hung in an old pot over logs in the hearth. Any cut of beef or pork that took hours to tenderize, along with vegetables from the garden, simmered until the broth was flavorful. A pot au feu might include potatoes, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, cabbage, and leeks. Traditionally, the meat and vegetables were served separately. Even today, the broth often comes to the table as its own course, accompanied by a roasted beef bone from which the diner scoops marrow on to toast. You might think that boiled meat isn't appealing but it's an extraordinary dish with pieces of spoon-tender beef and big chunks of hearty roots. I had a memorable version recently, marrow bone and all, hearty bread, and a old crock of mustard. A version with chicken is lighter, with the same farmhouse quality. You need to start with a whole bird, a small one that isn't bigger than 3 1/2 pounds. If you blanch it in boiling water, which means pouring boiling water over the bird and letting it sit for 15 minutes, your broth will be clear. Cloudy broth tastes fine, but clear broth looks beautiful. Discard the blanching water, pour more water over the bird and simmer it for nearly half an hour. Then add big pieces of vegetables (here we use rutabaga or turnips, carrots, and onions) and continue simmering until the bird has been in the pot for one hour. I cook small golden potatoes separately since they might cloud the broth, but you can certainly cook them in the main pot. Cut up the bird, ladle it all into large bowls, and see how glorious a boiled dinner can be.
1
whole (3 to 3 1/2 pound) chicken
3
quarts water
1
bay leaf
4
whole peppercorns
1
piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and halved
2
teaspoons salt
1
medium rutabaga (yellow turnip), cut into 2-inch pieces, or 2 white turnips, quartered
4
large carrots, halved crosswise, thick ends halved lengthwise
3
small yellow onions, roots intact, halved through the roots
24
small Yukon Gold or other yellow potatoes
2
tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Flaky sea salt (for serving)
1. Have on hand a soup pot large enough to hold the chicken and all the vegetables. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
2. Remove the giblets from the bird. Set the liver and heart aside for another use.
3. Put the chicken and giblets into the soup pot. Off the burner, pour the boiling water into the pot. It should cover the chicken. Let it sit for 15 minutes. With tongs, lift the chicken from the water and transfer the chicken and giblets to a bowl. Tip the water out of the pot, rinse the pot, and return the chicken and giblets to the pot.
4. Add the 3 quarts water and set the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. Skim the surface as scum rises. Keep skimming until the liquid on top is clear. Turn the heat to low. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, ginger, and salt. Cover the pan. Let the water simmer gently for 25 minutes.
5. Add the rutabaga or turnips, carrots, and onions to the pot. Return the liquid to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover the pan. Continue simmering for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken in the thigh and breast registers 165 degrees and all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a skewer. Skim any scum on the surface as the water is simmering.
6. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the small potatoes and return the water to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer.
7. With tongs, transfer the chicken from the pot to a large shallow bowl or glass pie plate. Leave until cool enough to handle.
8. Carve the meat from the bones in large pieces. Divide the meat among 6 warm, shallow bowls. Ladle broth, vegetables, and potatoes into each bowl. When you find them, discard the ginger, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Sprinkle the bowls with dill. Serve with flaky sea salt.
Sheryl Julian
Serves 6
For centuries in France, families who subsisted on little, made pot au feu (literally pot on the fire) a dish of boiled meat and vegetables. Now considered the national dish of France, pot au feu was once hung in an old pot over logs in the hearth. Any cut of beef or pork that took hours to tenderize, along with vegetables from the garden, simmered until the broth was flavorful. A pot au feu might include potatoes, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, cabbage, and leeks. Traditionally, the meat and vegetables were served separately. Even today, the broth often comes to the table as its own course, accompanied by a roasted beef bone from which the diner scoops marrow on to toast. You might think that boiled meat isn't appealing but it's an extraordinary dish with pieces of spoon-tender beef and big chunks of hearty roots. I had a memorable version recently, marrow bone and all, hearty bread, and a old crock of mustard. A version with chicken is lighter, with the same farmhouse quality. You need to start with a whole bird, a small one that isn't bigger than 3 1/2 pounds. If you blanch it in boiling water, which means pouring boiling water over the bird and letting it sit for 15 minutes, your broth will be clear. Cloudy broth tastes fine, but clear broth looks beautiful. Discard the blanching water, pour more water over the bird and simmer it for nearly half an hour. Then add big pieces of vegetables (here we use rutabaga or turnips, carrots, and onions) and continue simmering until the bird has been in the pot for one hour. I cook small golden potatoes separately since they might cloud the broth, but you can certainly cook them in the main pot. Cut up the bird, ladle it all into large bowls, and see how glorious a boiled dinner can be.
| 1 | whole (3 to 3 1/2 pound) chicken |
| 3 | quarts water |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| 4 | whole peppercorns |
| 1 | piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and halved |
| 2 | teaspoons salt |
| 1 | medium rutabaga (yellow turnip), cut into 2-inch pieces, or 2 white turnips, quartered |
| 4 | large carrots, halved crosswise, thick ends halved lengthwise |
| 3 | small yellow onions, roots intact, halved through the roots |
| 24 | small Yukon Gold or other yellow potatoes |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh dill |
| Flaky sea salt (for serving) |
1. Have on hand a soup pot large enough to hold the chicken and all the vegetables. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.
2. Remove the giblets from the bird. Set the liver and heart aside for another use.
3. Put the chicken and giblets into the soup pot. Off the burner, pour the boiling water into the pot. It should cover the chicken. Let it sit for 15 minutes. With tongs, lift the chicken from the water and transfer the chicken and giblets to a bowl. Tip the water out of the pot, rinse the pot, and return the chicken and giblets to the pot.
4. Add the 3 quarts water and set the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. Skim the surface as scum rises. Keep skimming until the liquid on top is clear. Turn the heat to low. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, ginger, and salt. Cover the pan. Let the water simmer gently for 25 minutes.
5. Add the rutabaga or turnips, carrots, and onions to the pot. Return the liquid to a boil, turn the heat to low, and cover the pan. Continue simmering for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken in the thigh and breast registers 165 degrees and all the vegetables are tender when pierced with a skewer. Skim any scum on the surface as the water is simmering.
6. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the small potatoes and return the water to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer.
7. With tongs, transfer the chicken from the pot to a large shallow bowl or glass pie plate. Leave until cool enough to handle.
8. Carve the meat from the bones in large pieces. Divide the meat among 6 warm, shallow bowls. Ladle broth, vegetables, and potatoes into each bowl. When you find them, discard the ginger, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Sprinkle the bowls with dill. Serve with flaky sea salt.
Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com.