CHICKEN SALAD A LA DANNY KAYE Saveur

This is also the methodology for Cold Poaching a whole chicken for Chinese Ginger Chicken

Serves 4

Chicken:

1 chicken, about 3 ½ #
½ sliced carrot
1 small leek, washed and left whole
1 rib celery, washed and left whole
1 TSP salt
¼ TSP black peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
About 7 cups warm water, enough to cover the chicken

Dressing:

2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
1 TSP finely chopped garlic
¼ TSP salt
¼ TSP freshly ground black pepper
½ TSP Tabasco
5 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil

Garnishes:

1 dozen Boston lettuce leaves
2 dozen fresh tarragon leaves

(For plain Chinese Cold Poached Chicken omit all the ingredients except the water)

Place the chicken in a narrow pot, breast side down. Add remaining ingredients. Water should come about 1” above the chicken. Bring to a gentle boil and boil for 10 minutes, covered. Remove from heat and let it sit in the hot broth for 45 minutes.

For the salad recipe, let chicken cool on a platter and then shred meat from bones, discarding fat, skin and bones.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken also. Add chicken shreds to dressing, toss gently. Place chicken on top of the lettuce leaves, either on a platter or on individual (4) plates and top with the tarragon leaves.