Stoved Howtowdie wi Drappit Eggs

The recipe I use is from “The Two Fat Ladies” cookbook. It’s a traditional Scottish recipe from Clarissa Dickson Wright and is found on page 60 of the book.

The Scots and the French often shared a common hatred of the English.  As often happens words transfer from one language to another, change and become colloquial.  This recipe’s name “Stoved” is believed to come from  a corruption of the French “Estuvier”. A way to cook a meal enclosed in a pot or casserole.  A “howtowdie” is a young hen probably derived from the Old French word, “hétoudeau”, meaning “capon” and “drappit eggs”. Well you drappit them in the water.

What a great combination Good Scottish Food plus the delicious focus on taste from the French. 

Kale is traditionally served with this, but you can use spinach or silverbeet.  The one I cooked yesterday I used Beetroot leaves.

Stoved Howtowdie wi drappit eggs.

A 900g chicken

Salt and freshly ground pepper

55g butter

225g chopped shallots

a faggot (bundle) of herbs

1/2 tsp Rosemary

450ml Chicken Stock

4 Eggs.

Forcemeat

1 -2 onions finely chopped

1-2 cloves of garlic crushed

butter

8oz of fresh breadcrumbs

lots of fresh green herbs chopped

I add one egg.

Season the chicken inside and out. Make the forcemeat by softening the onions and garlic in butter, then adding the breadcrumbs and herbs and frying gently until golden. Stuff the chicken with the forcemeat.  ( I add an egg to the forcemeat to bind it)

Melt the butter in a casserole and brown the chicken all over.  Add the shallots, faggot of herbs and Rosemary. Poour over the stock. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour until the chicken is tender.  Remove the chicken from the stock and keep warm.

Ladle some of the cooking liquid into another pan  and poach the eggs in this. (the rest of the stock can be used to make soup).

To serve, place flattened balls of kale or spinach on a flat serving dish. Place the poached eggs on top of these and put the chicken in the centre.

I cook the spinach in the stock, as soon as it is wilted,  break the eggs in carefully and cover the pan. Once they are almost cooked  sprinkle a bit of stock over and cover again just for a minute.