Boned Stuffed Chicken with Veal and Pistachios
- 1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds ground veal
- 1/22/3 cup very coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Clean and wash the chicken, and cut off the wing tips and leg ends to make the removal of the skin possible.
- Singe the chicken over a flame to loosen the skin from the flesh.
- Carefully pull the skin right off, as though undressing the chicken, taking care not to tear it, starting from the neck and pulling it off the legs last.
- It will come right off with the occasional help of a pointed knife.
- Wash the skin, turn it right side out, and put it aside.
- Cut the skinned chicken into quarters, put them in a saucepan, and cover with water.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil, and simmer gently until the chicken is very tenderabout 3045 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool in the stock.
- Drain and keep the stock.
- Bone the chicken, discarding nerves and tendons, and grind or chop the meat finely.
- Put it in a large bowl, mix in the ground veal, and season with salt and pepper.
- Knead very well, then add the pistachio nuts and work them into the mixture.
- Using a needle and strong thread, sew up all but the largest vent in the chicken skin and darn any holes.
- Stuff the skin carefully with the chicken-and-veal mixture, and re-form as nearly as possible in its original shape.
- Sew the opening tightly.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large pan, put in the stuffed chicken, and turn to brown it lightly all over.
- Add the lemon juice and about half a ladle of the stock.
- Simmer gently, covered, for about 1 hour, turning the chicken over, and adding more stock, half a ladle at a time, if it becomes dry.
- At the end of the cooking time, the veal should be well cooked and almost blended with the chicken, and the sauce much reduced.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool overnight in its own sauce.
- Serve cold.
- Traditionally, the chicken is served already cut in thick slices, but I think it looks rather beautiful with its subdued boneless shape, served whole and sliced at the table.
- A version said to be for lazy cooks is just as delicious, though not as dramatic.
- Cook the chicken as in the recipe for sofrito (page 213), adding just a pinch of turmeric or none at all.
- When cool, skin it and remove the bones and tendons.
- Grind or chop the flesh and mix it with the ground veal, 1 egg, and a handful of chopped pistachios.
- Knead thoroughly and roll into a thick sausage shape.
- Saute in 2 tablespoons hot oil, turning it until golden all over.
- Add water, a little at a time, as it becomes absorbed, and simmer gently, covered, until well cooked, turning it over once.
- Allow to cool in its sauce for several hours before serving.
- Serve cut in slices.
chicken, vegetable oil, salt, ground veal, pistachio nuts, lemon
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/boned-stuffed-chicken-with-veal-and-pistachios-373386 (may not work)