Supreme Of Old Hen

It is best that the hen you use died of old age or at least was on Social Security in her later years. The chicken should stew for 1 to 3 hours and a frying chicken would fall apart. Use a stewing fowl.

Disjoint the pieces and fry until slightly browned. Remove. Add wine, apples, celery, onion, a few leaves of cilantro, basil, a pinch of tarragon and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of paprika to pot. Cover and stir frequently until mixture is tender. Add chicken and stock, cover and cook until chicken is just tender. It may take from 1 to 3 hours depending on age of chicken. Check frequently so you don't overcook.

Remove and place chicken in a shallow roasting pan. Run vegetables through food mill. If there is too much liquid, boil down. Thicken with beurre manie, add sour cream and heat - but not to boiling. Add chicken base or bouillon cubes instead of salt. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is bubbling and slightly brown. Modified from Becker's "Joy of Cooking." I hope you like it. Jim Kessler RBFV65A