Le Creuset French Style Roast Chicken With Tarragon Cream Sauce Recipes

FRENCH TARRAGON ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180c.
• Season the body cavity with the salt and pepper, add 1.5 oz butter, and 1 tsp of the tarragon. Close the cavity with a skewer or toothpick.
• Use the remaining butter to spread over the breast of the bird. Cover with large piece greaseproof paper.
• Place the bird on a rack over the roasting dish and add 2 cups of water. Cook for 1.5 hours or till juices run clear.
• In the meantime, mix the remaining tarragon in a saucepan with the 2 remaining cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer till the liquid has reduced by half.
• With a little water mix the cornstarch to a thin paste and whisk into the tarragon water to thicken it to make a sauce.
• Remove the bird from the pan and set aside.
• Whisk the liquid from the roasting pan into the sauce and add the cream.
• Pour some of the sauce over the bird.
• Serve the remaining sauce separately.
• Serve with boiled potatoes, glazed carrots and runner beans.

LE CREUSET FRENCH-STYLE ROAST CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease the inside of Le Creuset or crock pot. Wash and dry the chicken and truss into shape. Grease it lightly all over with olive oil and rub a little salt and pepper on the skin. Place the chicken, breast side up, in Le Creuset or crock pot, and sprinkle the tarragon over the breasts and legs.
• Cover Le Creuset with the lid, place it in the heated oven, and roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the juices run clear, not pink, when the thigh is pierced with a skewer, or an instant-read thermometer reads 180°F (For crock pot, cook covered on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours, less time for a smaller bird).
• Lift out the chicken onto a warm platter, cover it with aluminum foil and a clean dish towel and leave to rest while making the sauce.
• SAUCE:.
• To make the sauce, pour out any excess fat from the pan. Pour the hot stock into Le Creuset and place it over medium heat on the stove top and bring to a boil. Stir to remove any residues from the bottom, which can be incorporated into the sauce. Once the liquid is boiling, stir in the cream blended with the tarragon and cornstarch. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. (For crock pot, after pouring off any excess fat, place hot stock and the blended cream, tarragon & cornstarch into the crock pot and stir well. Cover and cook on LOW for 30 minutes).
• Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce, if needed, before serving it with the carved chicken, fluffy mashed potatoes and a vegetable side.

CHICKEN CREPES WITH CREAMY TARRAGON SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender combine all the crepe ingredients and blend on high for one minute, refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• While the batter is chilling, prepare the filling.
• In a medium bowl combine all filling ingredients together.
• Spray a nonstick sauté pan with Butter flavored spray.
• Heat pan on medium high heat for one minute.
• Pour a scant 1/4 crepe batter into the pan using a circular motion.
• You will want the crepe to be approximately 6" in diameter.
• Slant the pan to evenly distribute the batter.
• Cook until the crepe is golden- about 1 minute per side.
• Remove and place in between sheets of waxed paper.
• Continue process until you have 6 crepes.
• Place 1/3 cup filling mixture on crepe and roll up tightly.
• Place seam side down in a microwave safe dish.
• Save any additional filling that is left over.
• To Prepare The Sauce: Place flour in a saucepan.
• Gradually add the milk and chicken broth, stirring with a whisk until well blended.
• Stir in tarragon, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
• Add any remaining filling mixture to sauce.
• Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
• Cover crepes loosely with plastic wrap and microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes.
• Pour sauce over crepes and serve.

CHEAT'S FRENCH CASSOULET - CROCK POT OR LE CREUSET

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet - fry the bacon until nearly crisp & then add the onions, garlic, & carrots. Cook over a high heat until they are just soft on the outside & turning a golden colour. Drain well & remove from pan. Add to crock pot or Le Creuset casserole dish.
• Add sausages and brown - remove & add to onion mixture.
• Add pork chop pieces & brown - remove and add to above mixture.
• Make up chicken stock and add wine. Mix tomatoes in with stock & teaspoon of sugar.
• Pour stock and tomatoes over the cassoulet in crock pot or le creuset - add bouquet garni & give everything a good stir!
• Add the beans and stir well again.
• Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and cook for up to 6 hours on high in crock pot or in le cresuet for 3 hours in a slow oven with the lid on, 150C/300°F.
• Half an hour before serving, take lid of le creuset to brown the top. It's difficult to brown in a crock pot, but it's not that essential to brown the top, as the reason behind the breadcrumbs is to soak up some of the juice & make a crust on top! If your crock pot is the type which you can put under the grill, then do so!
• Serve with mountains of fluffy mashed potatoes & stir-fried Savoy Cabbage.
• NOTE ON SAUSAGES:.
• Try to use very good quality high meat content sausages; in France Toulouse sausages are mainly used - they generally have a meat content of at least 85%. Good quality English style sausages are also good - I have a recipe posted for some English sausages: Recipe #190045.
• However, any kind of sausage can be used and in the past I have used: Choritzo, Italian Style, Chipolatas etc.
• The Pork chops can be replaced with chicken pieces, lamb steaks or Confit D'Canard - preserved duck, if you are lucky enought to have some!

FRENCH CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in small saucepan and boil, stirring frequently until slightly thickened.

TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, over med-high heat, bring wine, onion, pepper, and whole tarragon sprigs to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by at least 1/2, about 25 minutes, depending on the size of your pan.
• Remove and discard the tarragon sprigs.
• Add cream, reduce heat, simmer gently until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in salt and chopped tarragon.
• Yummy!