By Request: Huzzar’s Chicken
Dishes that we cooked or were cooked for us as children always hold a special luster. I had a set of kids’ cookery cards from Irish sugar company Siúcra which had great recipes like The Last of the Mohicans Baked Beans (think the recipes were based on classic books!) and a desert of bananas warmed in a sauce made of orange juice (Swiss Family Robinson Bananas, perhaps?).
Paula Daly’s much-loved and much-used Stork Cookery Books are full of similarly evocative recipes, including things like Steak Diane, Franzipan Flan, Drop Scones and Gougère. I recently wrote up Paula Daly’s Gingerbread recipe after receiving a request for it and subsequently received an email from Sorcha asking me to look out for a recipe for Huzzar’s (or Hussar’s) Chicken, which she described as “absolutely divine.” I found it in the second cookbook, the one with the green cover, and – although I haven’t yet had a chance to try it out myself, here you go. I’ve substituted olive oil for the Crisp ‘n Dry and butter for the Stork but, if you’re in search for a more authentic-to-the-period flavour, feel free to change them around. Happy cooking Sorcha!
Huzzar’s Chicken
1 x 1.4kg chicken
Paprika – 1 desertspoon
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
Mixed herbs – ½ teaspoon
To fry:
Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
Savoury Rice:
Streaky rashers – 125g, chopped
Butter – 50g
Onion – 1, finely chopped
Garlic – 1 clove, chopped
Long-grain rice – 225g
Chicken stock – 425ml
Green pepper – 1, diced
Red pepper – 1, diced
Salt, freshly ground black pepper
Joint the chicken into 4 or 8 pieces. Mix the paprika, salt, pepper and herbs together and sprinkle over the chicken. Leave covered for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces until golden brown. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for 20 minutes, turning frequently.
Place the chopped rashers and butter into an ovenproof casserole and heat gently. Add the diced onion and garlid. Cook until the onion softens then add the rice to the pan. Mix well until the rice grains are coated then add the boiling chicken stock and diced peppers.
Bring to the boil then taste and adjust seasoning. Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Cover with a lid and then cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice is tender.
Serve with a crisp green salad. Serves 4.
Adapted from McDonnell’s Second Good Food Cookbook by Paula Daly.
Forgive my ignorance but what is a rasher?
If you’re not Irish, you might indeed have problems with this term. A rasher is a slice of bacon – I’m still working on making sure the Husband uses the right word!
Hi, Im looking to know where I can buy the Good food book by mc donnells, book 1. My mothers book has become very tatty and would love to get her a new one.
Patricia, getting your hands on a copy of these cookbooks seems to be a matter of luck. I picked up my copies in a second hand shop and I’ve also found them in charity shops. Just keep your eyes open any time you see old books and you just might find a copy. If I see one in the mean time I’ll let you know!