I know that chicken breasts are the most popular parts of chicken in our part of the world, but they can be quite boring and not as juicy as the legs – especially if you are planning to make some sort of a casserole.
I remember reading something about how different parts of chicken are popular in different parts of the world, and therefore chicken is being shipped all of the world in – different parts of it that is.
I find that a bit scary, so I try to buy the chicken whole instead. I have a feeling it hasn´t been messed with as much and perhaps not as much water and salt has been injected into the whole chicken as into the pieces. Perhaps that´s just an illusion.
I´d love to be able to get organic chicken here. When I lived in London a few years ago, I could get all kinds of chicken and chicken pieces ORGANIC. I really miss that. Perhaps one day! I could perhaps fit a few into my backyard, but I live right in the center of Reykjavik and I´m not sure if the neighbors would be happy with that!:)
Another thing I like about buying the chicken whole is that there is a whole lot of carcass left to make chicken stock;) So I often get two to save some time.
That gives me …… 4 breasts, 4 legs, 4 wings and a whole lot of carcass.
( You´ll get the same from 2 chicken – unless they have mutated for some reason!!)
I made the stock just the way I usually do – chopped up the carcass and threw it into a pot with a little olive oil. Then added onions, carrots and celery. I also added some crushed black peppercorns, a few cloves of garlic and some parsley.
Let the whole thing take some color before adding water.
Let it simmer for a couple of hours, skimmed of the fat and strained the lot.
The recipe!
1 large shallot ( or 2 smaller )
3 – 4 cloves garlic
250 – 300 gr mushrooms
A little bit of olive oil and a knob of butter
( to fry the chicken and sweat the onions and mushrooms )
250 – 300 ml dry sherry ( Fino ) – I used Tio pepe, but I guess any fino would do.
7 – 800 ml chicken stock
5 – 6 pieces of chicken ( I had 4 legs and 1 breast, but whichever way you like it )
Sage – as much as you like. ( At least 20 sage leaves.)
Flour ( to flour the chicken pieces, plus some more to thicken the sauce )
Sea salt
Black pepper
White pepper
I dusted the chicken with some seasoned flour and fried it in the oil and butter.
Took it of the pan and kept it warm.
Finely chopped the shallots and garlic, before adding to the pan with some chopped mushrooms.
Let it sweat a little, before adding the Fino.
A little more flour….( to thicken the sauce ) and then the stock.
The chicken went in again, as did the sage leaves ( cut in strips ).
Let the whole thing simmer for about half an hour – 45 minutes.
Season and serve:)
I didn´t have time to make pasta, so I just served it with some plain spaghetti.
Mashed potatoes would go well with this dish as well.
Sigurveig 