Creamy Chicken Stew

Creamy Chicken Stew
4 large servings

You can prepare this ahead, up to the point where you reheat to add the
cream.

Ingredients:
1 6-pound stewing hen or capon (or 2 3-pound fryers), cut into serving
pieces, with giblets
1 tablespoon butter
5 leeks, cut in big chunks
5 celery stalks, cut in big chunks
2 carrots, cut in big chunks
2 onions, peeled and stuck with 2 cloves each
Bouquet garni of
6 sprigs parsley
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf (wrap these in tin foil and pierce all over with a fork)
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1 lemon
4 egg yolks or two egg yolks and 2-3 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup heavy cream

Garnish:
1 lemon, sliced into 4 thin slices
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Preparation:

Saute onions, leeks, celery, and carrots in butter with 1/4 cup chicken
stock added to keep the vegetables from sticking, for 5-10 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate. Rub the chicken pieces with
butter, then for 20 minutes, turning often. You can also brown under the
broiler , 4-5 inches from the heat. When lightly browned, put in a
kettle with the giblets, and all the rest of the ingredients except for
the lemon juice, egg yolks and cream. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer
for 1 hour or more (25-40 minutes for fryers), until the chicken is tender.

Remove chicken and giblets from the broth and cool. Throw out the bones
and skin.

Strain the broth and skim off the fat. (If you're not serving
immediately, you could put the broth in the freezer to make the skimming
easier.) Return broth to kettle and stir in the lemon juice.

When ready to serve, cut the chicken in big chunks and mince the
giblets. Bring the broth to a simmer, then add the chicken and giblets
and return to kettle. If you are using flour, beat it in now. Heat
through, covered, for 5 minutes.

While it is heating, beat the eggs and cream together, then beat a cup
of the simmering broth into the egg cream and whisk the whole mixture
back into the kettle. Simmer at very low heat for 2-3 minutes so it will
thicken without curdling.

Ladle into deep soup plates, then float a thin lemon slice, sprinkled
with parsley, in each one. Serve with boiled potatoes as a main course.