Sandwich Recipes

Potted Smoked Chicken

This recipe can be make a few days ahead and kept chilled until needed. A food processor makes light work of blending the ingredients, but you can pound by hand for a coarser mixture.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 350 g/12 oz/2.5 cups chopped smoked chicken
  
• pinch each of grated nutmeg and mace
  
• 125 g/4.5 oz/0.5 cup butter softened
  
• 2 tbsp port
  
• 2 tbsp double (heavy) cream
  
• salt and pepper
  
• sprig of fresh parsley, to garnish
  
• brown bread slices and fresh butter, to serve
  

Method

1. Place the smoked chicken in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
   
2. Pound until the mixture is very smooth or blend in a food processor.
   
3. Transfer the mixture to individual earthenware pots or one large pot.
   
4. Cover each pot with buttered baking parchment and weigh down with cans or weights. Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
   
5. Remove the parchment and cover with clarified butter (see Cook's Tips).
   
6. Garnish with a sprig of parsley and serve with slices of buttered brown bread.

Cook's Tips

The Potted Smoked Chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but no longer as it does not contain any preservatives. It may be stored in the freezer for a maximum of 1 month.

To make Clarified Butter

1. Place 250g/9 ox/1 cup butter in a saucepan and heat gently, skimming off the foam as the butter heats - the sediment will sink to the bottom of the pan.
2. When the butter has completely melted, remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for at least 4 minutes.
3. Strain the butter through a piece of muslin (sheesecloth) into a bowl.
4. Allow the butter to cool a little before spooning it over the surface of the potted chicken.