Chicken in a Pot with Garlic and Preserved Lemon 惹味雞煲

There are a few things in making this dish that I have never done before. First, this is my first time baking a chicken using a Dutch oven (cast iron pot). It was far easier than I anticipated it to be. After browning the chicken and slightly sautéing the vegetables, just put every thing in the pot and stick it in the oven. Then you will have a room filled with a delicious aroma in about an hour and dinner is ready.

Secondly, I never used this much garlic in a dish: 4 heads (about 30-35 cloves). The cloves are separated with the skin still attached. Perhaps it is what makes it so tasty without an overwhelming garlic flavor. 

Last but not least is preserved lemon. I made preserved kumquats for a remedy for sore throat but never preserved lemon. But to my surprise, it adds a distinct flavor to the chicken. I was also surprised as to how much more delicious and flavorful the leftovers are the day after. Maybe next time I should resist the temptation to eat it right away!

The recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's "Around my French Table" with some modifications.

做這個惹味雞煲讓我有多種新嘗試,這是我第一次用這種可以入焗爐的鐵鍋來焗雞,發覺原來是那麼容易及方便,只須要稍微煎一下隻雞,抄一抄配料,便可以放入鍋內,再放入焗爐,一小時後便有香噴噴的晚餐了。第二樣新嘗試是蒜頭,這次是我第一次用四個完整蒜頭去做一味菜,但卻沒有太重的蒜頭味,可能因為它們是連皮/衣用的。其次是咸檸檬,我家常備有咸金橘,但卻沒有醃製過咸檸檬,用來做菜更是第一次,它令到這個菜有種獨特的口味,隔了夜更回味無窮!

It takes at least a month to make the preserved lemon. Plan ahead. Prepare a big jar with a tight lid that the lemons can fit in. Cut slits in the lemon skin so that the salts can get inside.

Pour in enough coarse salt to cover them.

Close the lid and keep it in room temperature for at least a month.

This is after 6 weeks. The lemon juice fills up the jar almost to the top. It can be kept indefinitely. The longer, the better.

醃製咸檸檬需要至少一個月時間,所以事前要計劃一下。準備一個可以密封的大瓶,洗淨檸檬後在表面切上四刀,不要切斷,然後放入瓶內,倒入粗鹽至完全覆蓋,封密蓋,保存在室溫至少一個月才可以食用,醃好的咸檸檬可以無限期地保存在粗鹽內,越久越好味。

Now, let's turn back to the chicken pot:

Ingredients:
1/2 preserved lemon, rinse well
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

One 4-5 pound chicken, whole or cut up into 8 pieces
2 mid-size potatoes, cut into small pieces
1 mid-size onion, cut into quarters
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 celery stalks, peeled, trimmed and cut into small pieces
4 garlic heads, cloves separated but not peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine, or any white wine

1)  Boil water with sugar in a small pot. Remove the preserved lemon pulp and rinse well. Cut into small pieces and put into the pot to cook for one minute. Remove and set aside.
2)  Mix the salt and the herbs in a small dish and rub it on the chicken, inside and out. Let it marinate for about an hour at room temperature.
3)  Preheat the oven to 450F.
4)  Sauté and brown all the vegetables and garlic in a pan. Remove. Brown the chicken on both sides.



5) Put all the ingredients in a 4-5 quart Dutch oven, or a oven safe pot big enough to hold everything. Put the lid on.

6)  Stick the whole pot into the oven and bake for an hour.

惹味雞煲材料:

半個咸檸檬,沖洗鹽份後,切走肉的部份,只用皮,用一杯水加四份一杯糖煮一分鐘,盛起備用。

一隻雞,約四至五磅重,整隻或斬開八件也可

兩個中型薯仔,切細件

一個中型洋蔥,切細件

三至四條胡蘿蔔,去皮,切斷

四片西芹,切斷

四個蒜頭, 一片片分開,連衣

一茶匙鹽

一茶匙百里香

一茶匙牛至

一茶匙羅勒

半茶匙胡椒粉

一杯雞湯

半杯白酒

1)  混合鹽及其他香料於小碗內,然後用來將雞內外醃一小時。

2)  預熱焗爐至450F。

3)  用煎鍋將所有蔬菜配料及蒜頭略為煎一下,盛起,再將雞也煎兩面至稍微金黃色。

4)  將所有材料放入可以入焗爐之大鍋內,上蓋,入爐焗一小時。