6 pound chicken, cut up
1 stalk of celery, chunked
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, or ground saffron
2 large onions
1 ½ tablespoons salt
6 peppercorns
1 – 4 stalks of celery, chopped
3 potatoes, largely diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Pepper to taste
Cover the chicken with hot water and add chunked celery, saffron, onions, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil; then simmer covered until the chicken is done (test after 30 minutes). While chicken is cooking prepare potpie squares.
Strain, remove the chicken from the bones, cut into 1-inch pieces, and return 2 quarts of stock to the pot. Add chopped celery and potatoes to the broth, bring to boil, drop in potpie squares, and cook uncovered until the squares are tender. Stir in the chicken and parsley and cook until heated through. Correct seasonings. Add fresh pepper. The potpie can be served while the consistency is souplike, or allow it to reduce for a stewlike consistency by simmering 10 minutes longer. Serves 12.
Potpie Squares
3 tablespoons shortening
2 cups flour
1.2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup water
Cut the shortening into the combined dry ingredients. Lightly stir in the egg and water. On a floured board, roll out the dough as thinly as possible. Cut into 2-inch squares with a pastry jig.
From The Thirteen Colonies Cookbook by Mary Donovan, Amy Hatrak, Frances Mills, & Elizabeth Shull, published by the Montclair Historical Society, Montclair, NJ, 1982.
Stow Minuteman Adaptation:
Use 5-6 pounds of boned chicken (or you can stew chicken with the bones) and cut it into inch or inch and a half cubes. Cover the chicken with chicken broth and add chunked celery (use several stalks), saffron, onions, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil; then simmer covered until the chicken is done (test after 30 minutes). While chicken is cooking prepare potpie squares. You can use a store-bought uncooked pie crust or make your own. Cut them into pieces about an inch or so square.
In separate pot, place additional broth or use some broth from the chicken. Bring to boil, drop in potpie squares and potatoes, and cook uncovered until the squares are tender. Stir in the chicken mixture and parsley and cook until heated through. Correct seasonings. Add salt and fresh pepper if needed. The potpie can be served while the consistency is soup-like, or allow it to reduce for a stew-like consistency by simmering 10 (or maybe a lot more) minutes longer. Serves 12.
Alternatively, add everything to one pot, timing depending on how long the item takes to cook. We have done this successfully and it saves on clean up.
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