Saturday 29 December 2012

my stuffed chicken...

...was better than the best pair of Manolos!!!

For the first time in my life, I decided to cook my grandmother's recipe for stuffed chicken this Christmas. I have such fond childhood (and more recent...) memories of this succulent dish that my mother would cook for our Christmas lunch and later, after having eaten like there was not tomorrow, my brother and I would just crash on the sofa and fall asleep with a classic old movie... mmmm those were the days... and these are the days too, for I was determined to recreate both the food and the pleasure!

So, with my mom (who spent these past few days with me) to assist/supervise, I set sail. I got a free range French chicken (which I like to think has been strolling nonchalantly through the streets of Marseille before having been caught...) on Christmas eve and on the day I got started. The stuffing was not so difficult, though with a myriad of  ingredients, because I had tried it before. But when it came to the point I had to pass a needle with cooking string through the bird's skin to keep the stuffing inside, well, it got tricky...

Nevertheless, I did it and put it all stuffed and beautiful in the oven, complete with potatoes. About an hour an a half later, there it was on my festive table! And the taste... oh, heaven! The potatoes had actually cooked in the juices from the stuffing that came out of the bird and they were a revelation! The meat was juicy and delicious and the stuffing excellent!

I was so proud of myself! And I ate so much, like the good old days! So much so I had to walk 10Km the next day to burn a bit of the guilt, more than the calories... But it was so worth it! It was better than shoes all the way!!

P.S My mom thought the prunes were cut too small for her taste but... such a criticism I considered a compliment ;)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you are going to walk nonchalantly in the streets of Marseille, you are bound to be caught. @T

Nina said...

Indeed, @T!! No surprise that chick ended up stuffed on a plate ;)