The Lovely Hen in the Pot

A humble feast fit for six guests — rich in comfort, tradition, and a touch of mountain warmth.

 

Ingredients – Serves 6

The Chicken and Vegetables

  • 1 hen (about 2 kg), or 2 smaller hens (1.4 kg each) if you’d like some leftovers

  • 6 carrots

  • 6 waxy potatoes (firm flesh)

  • 6 leeks

  • 6 turnips

  • 2 celery stalks

  • 1 onion studded with cloves

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1 bouquet garni (leek greens, thyme, parsley stems, and a bay leaf)

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

The Stuffing

  • The hen’s liver, neck, and gizzards

  • 150 g ham or sausage meat

  • 1 egg

  • 1 shallot

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

  • 1 Tbsp chopped tarragon

  • 10 cl milk

  • 200 g bread crumbs (or soft white bread, soaked in milk)

Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

  • 2 Tbsp Sherry (Xeres) vinegar

  • 8 Tbsp walnut oil

  • Chives, parsley, and 1 small shallot, all finely chopped

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

 

What could be better — or healthier — than a beautiful poule au pot, served with seasonal vegetables and a walnut and herb vinaigrette?

Here is a simple, generous, and flavourful recipe that lets everyone indulge freely — without earning a scolding from a fussy liver or a demanding fitness coach.

Prepare the stuffing: soak the bread in milk. Finely chop the heart, liver, and gizzard along with the ham. Add the shallot, garlic, parsley, and tarragon, then mix in the softened bread. Season with salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg, and bind the mixture with the egg.

Wash and peel the vegetables. Tie the leeks into small bundles and cut the celery into short sticks.

Greet the hen politely, then stuff and sew her up. Bring 3–4 litres of water to a boil, and gently simmer the hen for 30 minutes with the bouquet garni. After 30 minutes, add the carrots, turnips, leeks, onion, and garlic, and cook for another 30 minutes. Finally, add the potatoes and simmer for a further 30 minutes. Depending on the size and age of the hen, you may need to extend the cooking time a little longer. Adjust the seasoning, then carve.

Serve with the walnut and herb vinaigrette.

And remember to stay humble beneath the rain of compliments — for in this dish, most of the work was done by the hen…