- 1 kg/2lb 4oz chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 1 carrot, halved
- 1 small onion, halved
- 1 leek, quartered
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 large sprig of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 25g/1oz butter, plus extra for frying
- 25g/1oz plain flour
- 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken cooking liquor (from above)
- 110g/4oz baby onions
- 110g/4oz button mushrooms, quartered
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 110ml/4fl oz double cream
- 3 tbsp tarragon leaves, picked
- 4 banana shallots, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 400g/14oz fresh garden peas, podded
- 50g/1¾oz butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To poach the chicken, place the chicken pieces in a large saucepan and cover with 2 litres/3½ pints of water.
- Add the carrot, onion, leek, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 1¼ hours.
- When the meat is tender, remove from the heat. Drain the chicken, reserving 1 litre/1¾ pints of the cooking liquor for making the sauce. Set aside.
- To make the sauce, heat a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat, add the butter. When melted, add the flour and keep stirring until it is completely absorbed.
- Gradually whisk in the reserved poaching liquor, stirring until all the liquor has been incorporated.
- Drain the meat again and discard any remaining liquor along with the carrot, onion, bay leaf, clove and thyme.
- Place the meat into the sauce.
- Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a little more of the butter and the baby onions. Cook until slightly coloured then add the mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes.
- Tip the onions and mushrooms into the chicken and sauce.
- Whisk the egg yolks and cream together in a bowl then gradually add to the pan, whisking as you go.
- Remove from the heat and continue to whisk for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- For the roasted shallots and fresh garden peas, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Heat a large griddle pan and drizzle the oil over the cut side of the shallots. Place on the griddle pan cut-side down and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until coloured and charred. Turnover and cook for a few more minutes, then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat a saucepan of boiling water and season with salt. Once boiling, add the peas and cook for 3-4 minutes then drain.
- Heat a frying pan and add the butter and peas, season with salt and pepper and cook gently for a few minutes.
- To serve, place a couple of pieces of chicken on each plate and spoon over the sauce. Place the roasted shallots and peas next to the chicken.