Steeped Chicken with Spicy Slaw

This dish is based on a classic Cantonese way to poach chicken (see video below). Basically you pop it in the pot, bring it to the boil, take it off the heat, cover it and walk away until it cools down – by which time it’s perfectly cooked. It gives a more succulent result than any other method I know. As poached chicken can be a little dull on its own, I’ve added a spicy coleslaw to liven things up. A loaf of crusty bread wouldn’t go astray either. The stock made by steeping the chicken is the perfect base for a delicious soup, with any leftover chicken meat added. I like chardonnay with steeped chicken – and with the richness of mayonnaise – but I find most Aussie chardonnays too buttery for my taste. Not so the Payten & Jones V V Chardonnay which is still distinctly Aussie but with plenty of lean acid to balance out the richness.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 x 1.5kg chicken
1 brown onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Stems from 1 bunch parsley (use leaves for Spicy Slaw)
1 fresh bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt flakes
Spicy Slaw, for serving

Method

Cut chicken in half, remove excess fat from neck and rinse cavity to remove any excess blood and remaining offal.
Place in a large saucepan with onion, carrot, celery, parsley stalks, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Add enough cold water to cover, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Skim to remove any froth that has floated to the top, cover, remove from heat and set aside for 1½ hours or until cool.
Meanwhile, make Spicy Slaw.
Remove chicken from stock and set aside. Strain stock, discarding solids, cool and freeze to use as chicken stock for another dish.
Cut chicken into pieces, spread Spicy Slaw on a platter, arrange chicken on top and serve warm or at room temperature.