Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson Page B

cucumber, halved, then each half cut into quarters lengthways
    1 tsp (heaping) pastis, optional, but
    essential, for me
    2 tbsp butter
    1 tsp (heaping) flour
    1 tsp saffron threads
    4 oz double or heavy cream
    salt and freshly ground white pepper
    small squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
    Here is a very nice way to enjoy two meals from one small chicken. The first recipe uses only the breasts of the bird, but taken from a chicken cooked whole, with vegetables and aromatics, making a lovely broth as a matter of course. The second, a perky salad using the thigh and drumstick joints, is something to have the following day, or even the day after that. If there is some broth left, keep the joints covered in that, carefully stored in the fridge.
    This breast dish is a relatively posh one, with quite a rich sauce and some delicious hot cucumbers as an accompanying vegetable. It is not often one eats cooked cucumber but, believe me, it is unusually delicate and a fine partner to the saffron flavor. I have a Lebanese grocer’s quite near to where I live, so quite regularly I acquire some small cucumbers from them—the only ones they actually stock, in fact. These suit this dish both for a particularly fragrant flavor, and for their diminutive shape, so nice when left whole.
    The second outing, the salad ( page 149 ), is a simple assembly of crunchy-crisp skin, moist chicken (the original poaching helps, here), salad greens, cucumber—again, but more usually, raw—and a rather jolly, sweet mustard dressing. The contrast between hot chicken, cool salady things and this kind of sweet-sour lubrication is a winning one. I only hope that you will think so, too.
    Put the chicken into a roomy pot, breast side up, and make sure there is enough room around the bird to also accommodate the flavoring vegetables and herbs. Add these, then pour in the wine and sprinkle over a little salt. Pour in enough water so that it does not entirely cover the chicken; try to leave the breasts about a quarter exposed, because the leg and thigh joints (immersed in the liquid) take much longer to cook than the breasts which will, effectively, steam.
    Place over a moderate heat and allow to come up to a simmer. When a fair amount of unsightly grey scum has accumulated on the surface, start to skim this off with a large spoon until almost none remains; a little more will be generated throughout the cooking time, but remove that when and if necessary. Now let the chicken cook very gently for 45–50 minutes, covered. Keep a keen eye on the proceedings, as you only want the broth to gently blip, not boil. After the time has elapsed, switch off the heat and leave to rest in the broth, still covered, for a further 15 minutes.
    Lift out the bird, flick off any bits of stray vegetable matter and place on a dish. Strain the broth into a bowl using a fine sieve and discard the exhausted vegetables. Wipe out the original cooking pot and return the chicken to it. Return the cooking broth to the chicken in its pot and keep warm, covered.
    To cook the cucumbers, first measure off about 10 oz of the broth surrounding the chicken. Put the cucumbers into a medium-sized saucepan that will accommodate them snugly. Pour over the broth, add the pastis (if using) and simmer the cucumbers until tender when poked with a skewer; they should be soft, but not on the verge of collapse. Remove them with a slotted spoon and put to keep warm with the remaining broth surrounding the chicken. Keep the cucumber cooking liquid to hand.
    To make the saffron sauce, melt the butter in another small pan and stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for a minute or two, then start to whisk in the cucumber cooking liquid until smooth and beginning to thicken. Allow to simmer very gently, stirring regularly, for about 10 minutes, before sprinkling in the saffron. Stir it in (don’t use a whisk, as all the saffron stamens will become entangled in it), switch off the heat and cover the pan, so allowing the