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1
Pour the water into the pot, set it over low heat to get started, and add the seasoningssalt, peppercorns, porcini, bay leaves, and cheese rind.
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2
Cut up all vegetables as follows, and drop them into the pot:
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3
Cut the leeks crosswise into 4-inch lengths, but dont slice them open.
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4
Cut the carrots and parsnips crosswise into 3-inch lengths; slice thick sections lengthwise in half or quarters, so all pieces are about 1 inch thick (throw the skinny pointed ends of the parsnips into the broth too).
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5
With a vegetable peeler, shave off the outer layer of the celery stalks, then cut crosswise into 3-inch lengths.
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6
Slice the celery root into 2-inch, roughly square chunks.
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Trim off the tough root end of the fennel bulb, but leave the core intact so the leaves are held together; slice the bulb into six or eight wedges, through the core.
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8
Trim the onions but leave the root ends intact, so the layers are held together.
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9
When all the vegetables are in the pot, put on the cover and turn the heat to high.
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10
Bring the water to a rolling boil, set the cover ajar (I prop it up on a big wooden spoon), and lower the heat to maintain a moderate bubbling.
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11
Cook the broth and vegetables for about 30 minutes, while you prepare the chicken.
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12
Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken, rinse well, and drop them all (including the liver) into the broth.
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13
Rinse the chicken under cold running water.
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14
Set it on a cutting board; chop off the tail piece and add it to the pot.
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15
Pull off all clumps of fat and discard.
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16
Twist and fold the wingtips against the neck, so they stay in place under the breast.
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Put the seasonings into the body cavity: the salt, the peppercorns, the smashed garlic cloves, and the bay leaves.
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18
Rinse the lemon, cut it in half crosswise, squeeze the juice from both pieces into the cavity, then push in the squashed lemon halves too.
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19
Press the birds legs together, close to the body, so the cavity is covered and the chicken is compact and evenly shaped.
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20
Spread out the cheesecloth square and place the chicken in the center.
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21
Lift two diagonally opposite corners, draw the cloth up and around the bird, and tie the corners in a simple overhand knot.
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22
Tighten the knot so it rests on the chicken breast and the cloth is snug against the bird.
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23
Now lift the other corners of the cheesecloth and bring them together, tie in another knot, and tighten it to wrap the chicken up completely.
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24
Tie the loose ends in square knots that wont unravel.
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25
Finally, cut a length of twine about a yard long (I double it for strength) and tie one end of the twine under the bulging cheesecloth topknots, in a secure knot.
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26
You should now be able to lift the cloth-wrapped chicken with the stringtest it now, over the worktable, because youll need to lift the cooked chicken out of the boiling broth the same way.
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27
When the broth and vegetables have been cooking for 1/2 hour, uncover, and lower the chicken into the broth with your strong string.
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28
Make sure the chicken is submerged, then loop the string around a handle of the stockpot, or any anchor point.
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29
Bring the broth back to a good boil, then adjust the heat to keep a steady but gentle bubbling on the surface.
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30
Cook the chicken, uncovered, for 40 to 50 minutes (less for a smaller chicken, more for a larger one or if you are using a capon).
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31
Set a big bowl close to the chicken pot.
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32
Turn off the heat, grasp your twine, lift the chicken bundle straight up above the stock, and lower it into the bowl.
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33
Let the chicken rest in the cheesecloth while you check the vegetablesthey should be soft but not falling apart.
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34
Cook longer or lift them out of the broth with a spider or other big strainer, into a big bowl.
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35
Ladle a bit of hot broth onto the vegetables, and cover with foil or a pot lid to keep them warm.
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36
To free the chicken, lift it from the bowl onto a tray, a board, or a big piece of foil, which will catch the juices.
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37
Cut the twine, untie the cheesecloth knotstry to keep the cloth wholeand unwrap the bird.
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38
Spoon out the lemon, bay leaves, and other seasonings from the cavity and discard.
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39
To keep the chicken warm, put it back in the bowl, doused with fresh hot broth and covered.
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40
To strain the broth, drape the moist cheesecloth inside a colander or large strainer and set it over a big pot or bowl (youll still have several quarts of stock).
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41
Pour the broth through the cheesecloth.
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42
Taste it for flavor; use (and store) as is, or bring it to a boil and reduce it if you want to concentrate it.
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43
To make a two-course meal, cook some thin pasta such as capellini or stelline (little stars) or rice in the broth and serve with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for the first course.
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44
Then serve the chicken, whole or cut up, on a warm serving platter, surrounded with the vegetables.
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45
(If they have cooled off, warm them up in broth.)
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46
Pass around salsa verde and/or pepper sauce at the table.
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47
For my family, I like to carve the whole hot chicken at the table and assemble plates, arranging a few pieces of every vegetable around the chicken and spooning 2 tablespoons or more of salsa verde all across the top of the chicken and vegetables, with more salsa verde on the side.
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48
For the dressing, put 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon honey into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
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49
Drop 3 tablespoons of golden raisins into the pan, and poach them gently for 4 minutes; then lift them out with a slotted spoon.
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50
Return the liquid to a boil, and cook rapidly until it is reduced to 3 tablespoons.
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51
Pour the dressing out of the pan to cool.
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52
Toast 3 tablespoons pine nuts in a dry pan until golden.
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53
Shred chicken meat to make 3 cups or so.
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54
Put the chicken in a pan with a few spoonfuls of broth (or water), and toss the shreds over low heat just to warm up and refresh.
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55
Put the shreds in a mixing bowl, and toss with the warm vinegar-honey dressing, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon saltor more to taste.
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56
Scatter the plumped raisins and toasted pine nuts over the chicken, and toss together.
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57
Arrange the salad on a bed of greens, on a large platter or individual salad plates, and serve while the chicken is still slightly warm.
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58
This recipe gives you the bonus of several quarts of tasty broth.
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59
Whether you serve the broth as a soup right away, or save most of it for future meals, garnish it with any of the choices suggested for Turkey Broth (page 80): passatelli, tagliolini, quickly cooked tender spinach leaves, Cheesy Crostini (page 60), or just a heap of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano.
