THIS RECIPE demands special attention and must be made with care. The savory result, however, will justify the extra work. If you do not have the PATÉ PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT on hand, substitute the finest liver pâté available in the market. And be sure, if you must use a substitute for MEAT JELLY, to choose one also of the finest quality and to salt the sauce sparingly. To serve two:
One 2-pound chicken
Butter for roasting
2 chicken livers
1 tablespoon Port, Madeira, or vermouth
3 tablespoons PATÉ PLUS-QUE-PARFAIT
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
3/8 cup brandy or Armagnac
3/4 cup cream
4 teaspoons MEAT JELLY , or substitute
Thinly sliced white bread
PREROAST and carve the chicken according to the directions . Pour the butter in which the chicken has cooked into a small skillet, and in it fry the bread, first cut into small lozenges. By the time you are ready to carve the chicken, have ready all the elements of the following sauce:
Carefully remove any gall from the chicken livers, and in a small bowl marinate them in the Port, Madeira, or vermouth for 1 hour. Then force them through a strainer. Now add to them the pâté and the butter, and with a fork blend all together to form a smooth thick paste.
Return the carved chicken to the pan in which it was cooked and place it over high heat. Add the brandy, touch it with a lighted match, and shake the pan until the flames die out. Now stir in the cream and then the MEAT JELLY, and let the sauce blend and reduce for a few minutes. Then add the pâté-and-liver mixture, stir it well into the liquid in the pan, and simmer gently until the sauce is hot and thickened. Arrange the carved chicken on a hot platter. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve over the chicken, and garnish with the fried croutons. Serve very hot.
