Ingredients
- 1 small veal knuckle
- 1.3 kg piece gravy beef
- bouquet garni
- 1 kg (size 10) whole chicken
- 4 carrots, halved
- 8 small onions, studded with 2 whole cloves each
- 2 leeks, trimmed, each cut into 8 pieces
- 4 turnips, peeled and halved
- 2 celery sticks, each cut into 4 pieces
- 1 chorizo or large Italian sausage
- chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Method
1. Place the veal bone in the base of a 6.5 litre stock pot. Place the gravy beef piece on top, add the bouquet garni and cover with water. Bring rapidly to the boil, skimming off the scum with a large spoon as it rises to the surface.
2. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Simmer for 1 hour. Skim regularly and top with a little cold water to keep the meat covered.
3. To truss the chicken, place a length of kitchen string under the parsons nose and up and over the legs, under the wings, then wrap back around the wings. Turn the chicken over onto its breast to cross the string over the back of the chicken. Turn the chicken back over again and tie the legs together.
4. Add the chicken to the casserole and cook for a further 30 minutes at a low simmer. Keep covered with the water. Add the carrots, onions, leeks, turnips, celery and chorizo or sausage. Cook for a further 40–50 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender. Remove the bouquet garni. Arrange the meats and vegetables on a large serving platter, cover with foil and keep warm in the oven.
5. Strain the broth through a muslin-lined sieve into a large pan. Bring slowly to the boil, then boil for about 15 minutes to reduce the broth by about a quarter and to concentrate the flavours. Reserve about 2 cups (500 ml) of the broth and ladle the rest into a serving jug.
6. Pot au Feu is served in two courses. As a first course, ladle the broth into individual soup bowls and serve hot. For the second course, carve the meats at the table and serve with the vegetables. Moisten the meats with the reserved broth. Traditionally served with shredded boiled cabbage, boiled potatoes, French mustard and gherkins. Garnish with parsley.
