Chicken Stew

1 medium chicken*
3 large carrots
3 leafy ribs celery
2 medium onions
3 large bay leaves
3 dried sanaam chilis
6 cloves
1 c dry sherry
1.5 T olive oil
2 t kosher salt
1 t minced garlic (or 1 clove, minced)

Scrub, then coarsely chop the carrots and celery.  Remove and separately mince the celery 
leaves.  Peel the onions, and poke 3 evenly spaced holes in them for the cloves.  Poke the 
cloves into the onions.  Remove the neck and organs from the cavity of the chicken and rinse the 
bird thoroughly, inside and out, under cold running water.  Cut it into quarters.  

Heat the olive oil until fragrant in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Brown the chicken 
quarters two at a time for a couple of minutes on each side.  Remove the chicken and deglaze the 
pot with the sherry, scraping up the yummy bits with a wooden spoon.  Add the chicken and the 
cloved onions to the pot, with enough water to mostly cover.  It's okay if a few bits are 
sticking out.  Add the bay leaves, chilis, garlic, and salt.

Bring the pot to a simmer over high heat, then replace cover, and reduce heat.  Simmer for about 
an hour, then remove chicken to a colander to cool.  While the chicken  is cooling, add the 
carrots and celery, but reserve the minced celery leaves.  When the chicken is cool enough to 
handle, separate the meat from the skin and bones with your fingers.  Discard the skin and 
bones, and chop or tear the meat into bite-sized bits.  Put the meat back in the pot and stir.  
Cook at a simmer for about another hour, or until the carrots and celery are tender.  When they 
are approaching tender, add the reserved celery leaves, and remove the onions, bay leaves, and 
chilis from the pot.  Remove the cloves from the onions, then cut the onions into bite-sized 
bits and return to the pot.  Stir to combine.

*I used a moderately happy chicken - certified humanely raised, but not free-range.  

Karen Traite
1/17/12