Dowager Countess Downton Abbey, It is a world-wide phenomenon. It is the most award winning television show in the history of PBS. Downton Abbey is back for its fifth season. Along with the drama and the biting wit of the Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith), Downton Abbey will once again titillate the taste-buds with the food served during the era it portrays. Internationally acclaimed chef and the author of the bestselling cookbook "Edwardian Cooking: 80 Recipes Inspired by Downton Abbey's Elegant Meals," Larry Edwards, will share dishes from the Downton era for the run of the series and as an added bonus, will include how-to pictures for each of the dishes presented.**
One of the more popular entree's to serve guests at the Abbey's during the Downton era was fowl. The fowl used were always fresh and butchered twelve hours before preparation. Most of the fowl used were raised on the grounds of the Abbey's or in the case of pheasants, from a daily hunt. Chicken, as we know it today, was not a popular dish to prepare for the upstairs but for the downstairs it was often served. For the upstairs dinner, a capon would be served. A capon is a rooster which has been castrated to improve it flavor. For this recipes of Sherry Glazed Chicken, we have adapted it for today's kitchen by using a chicken.
At the Abbey's a dry sherry would be used to make the glaze for this dish. If you don't have a dry (less sweet) sherry, a regular sherry will do fine. If you want a tad more sweetness, you can use a Tawny Port. Of course when this was prepared at the Abbey, the cuts of chicken used were boneless and skinless (and often times even cut up for the guests).
Ingredients needed to make Sherry Glazed Chicken (serves 4):
4 chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
2 Tbs. butter
Steps:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Season your chicken to taste with salt and pepper.
In a medium saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken and brown on both sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan. Pour out all the rendered fat and excess oil.
Place the pan back onto the heat and stir in the chicken stock, scrapping the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing the pan).
Into the pan stir in the scallions, parsley and sherry. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the chicken to the pan. Place a lid on the pan and place into the oven.
Cook (braise) the chicken 40 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and whisk in the butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, while whisking, and cook until it has reduced to about 1/4 cup.
Place the chicken on a serving platter, drizzle with the sherry glaze and serve.
One of the more popular entree's to serve guests at the Abbey's during the Downton era was fowl. The fowl used were always fresh and butchered twelve hours before preparation. Most of the fowl used were raised on the grounds of the Abbey's or in the case of pheasants, from a daily hunt. Chicken, as we know it today, was not a popular dish to prepare for the upstairs but for the downstairs it was often served. For the upstairs dinner, a capon would be served. A capon is a rooster which has been castrated to improve it flavor. For this recipes of Sherry Glazed Chicken, we have adapted it for today's kitchen by using a chicken.At the Abbey's a dry sherry would be used to make the glaze for this dish. If you don't have a dry (less sweet) sherry, a regular sherry will do fine. If you want a tad more sweetness, you can use a Tawny Port. Of course when this was prepared at the Abbey, the cuts of chicken used were boneless and skinless (and often times even cut up for the guests).
Ingredients needed to make Sherry Glazed Chicken (serves 4):
4 chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 1/2 cups dry sherry
2 Tbs. butter
Steps:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Season your chicken to taste with salt and pepper.
In a medium saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken and brown on both sides.
Remove the chicken from the pan. Pour out all the rendered fat and excess oil.
Place the pan back onto the heat and stir in the chicken stock, scrapping the bottom of the pan (this is called deglazing the pan).
Into the pan stir in the scallions, parsley and sherry. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the chicken to the pan. Place a lid on the pan and place into the oven.
Cook (braise) the chicken 40 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
Place the pan over medium-high heat and whisk in the butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, while whisking, and cook until it has reduced to about 1/4 cup.
Place the chicken on a serving platter, drizzle with the sherry glaze and serve.
