A chicken casserole that is simply delicious. Serve with yogurt salad or raita made of shredded cucumber, salt, black pepper and mint.
This recipe is easy to make, but time consuming. For our vegetarian friends I have experimented using a ginger/garlic/onion stock and substituting deep fried cauliflower for chicken ( just follow the fourth and fifth steps) with excellent results. Vegetable or chicken soup bouillions can also be used.
Ingredients -
I x 3 lb. chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium-sized onion, halved
2 carrots,
4 peppercorns
PILAFF
3 oz. [I cup] butter
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
3 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped
I teaspoon salt
I teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 oz. [I cup] walnuts, chopped
I lb. [2 2 cups] long-grain rice, washed, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained
Preparation
First make the stock. Put the chicken in a pot large enough to hold it comfortably. Pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides. Add the salt,onion,carrots and peppercorns and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken for 1 ¼ hours or until it is tender and cooked. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the chicken cool.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove it from the stock. Put it on board and cut off all the meat. Put the meat in bowl,cover and place in the refrigerator.
Return the chicken bones to the pan,adding more water if necessary to cover,and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Strain the stock into a bowl,cool,cover and refrigerate. When the fat hardens on the top of the stock, skim it off with a spoon.
To make the pilaff,heat 1 ½ pints [3 ¾ cups] of the stock until it boils. Cut the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces.
In a large flameproof casserole,melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for 8 minutes . Add the chicken pieces ,stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes,salt,pepper, basil and walnuts and cook for 1 minutest Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes,stirring constantly. Pour in the hot stock,raise the heat to high and bring the rice to the boil. When it is bubbling briskly,cover,reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Serve at once, straight from the casserole.
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