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September 2009 :
Howtowdie
The name is thought to
come from the old French hutaudeau.
In the ninteenth century it was dished with poached eggs, and called
"Howtowdie wi' Drappit
eggs". The bird can be stuffed if liked before cooking.
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1 roasting chicken about 4 lb., 6
button onions or shallots, 1/2 cup butter,
2 whole cloves, 6 black peppercorns, pinch of mace, 2 cups of
stock,
chicken liver, 2 tablesp. cream, 2 lb. spinach, salt and pepper.
Ingredients for
stuffing :
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, 1 small chopped shallot, 1 teasp.
chopped tarragon,
1 teasp. chopped parsley, a little milk, salt and pepper.
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For the stuffing, soak
the breadcrumbs in just enough milk to moisten them and make them
swell. Then add all the other stuffing ingredienst and put this into
the bird.
Secure with a small skewer. Put the butter, all but a level
tablespoon,
in a casserole, let it melt and add the onions.
Let them gently brown, then put the chicken in the middle.
Roast in a hot oven for 20 minutes, turning frequently until lightly
brown,
then add the mace, cloves, seasonings and stock.
Cover and cook in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes or until
done.
Meanwhile cook the
spinach, drain it well and keep hot. Remove the bird from the oven
and strain off stock into a pan. Add the liver, chopped, to the
stock and cook it
gently for 5 minutes, then mash it so that it absorbs the stock.
Add the cream and remaining butter cut into small pieces, reheat,
but not the spinach.
If you wish to try the
'Drappit eggs', poach them in the stock, before adding the
liver, and keep them warm on the spinach before serving.
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