Get ready for a flavor experience full of savory flaky goodness. This is becoming one of our favorite home recipes.

What you’ll need

• 1 Whole chicken-pasture raised preferable
• 1 12-Ounce bottle mead – saison, Belgian beer or ale-style mead: Suggest Moonlight Meadery Meadowfoam or Moonlight Meadery Mesquite Blossom Traditionals
• 2 Onions, sliced but not peeled
• Black Pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1 bunch parsley, stems removed for broth & leaves diced fine
• Package frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/4 cup (half stick) butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 egg, pref pasture raised free -range
• 1 Tbsp mead vinegar
• 1/4 tsp ground saffron
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Cooking Spray

Cooking Instructions

The Chicken:

1. Put whole chicken in large stock pot, add unpeeled onion, carrot and parsley stems (reserve leaves for use later) plus generous grinding of pepper. Pour mead over chicken and add water to just cover. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, let cook covered 90 mins or until tender and meat falls from bones.

2. Use tongs to pull breasts, thighs, drumsticks from carcass, set aside on large plate to cool.

3. Increase heat under stock pot and simmer to reduce stock approx. half hour.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

5. With small knife remove meat from bones and cut into 1-inch cubes.

6. Melt butter in large, deep saucepan. Add flour, stirring with whisk to make roux. Cook over medium heat until mixture turns golden-blond and no longer smells like raw flour. Using ladle and strainer, pour 3 – 4 ladles of strained broth into the roux and stir with a whisk to make a gravy. Add mead vinegar.

7. Using ladle, strainer, add more broth as needed to make an appealing grave of the desired viscosity. Add chicken cubes, reduce heat to low and simmer, cover till ready to serve.

The Pastry:

8. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray. Open package of puff pastry, cut into 3-inch squares, arrange on sheet.

9. Make an egg wash by breaking the egg into smaller bowl, whisk with spoonful of water. Use pastry brush to brush egg wash over the tops of puff pastry squares, bake 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Use spatula to remove to serving plate.

10. Meanwhile add saffron and minced parsley t chicken and gravy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve.

Finishing Touches:

11. Put 3 pastry squares on plate, ladle chicken over.

Optional Variations:

Add sautéed pearl onions, mushrooms or handful frozen peas to sauce.

Suggested Mead Pairings:

We suggest a fine traditional mead that showcases the floral honey characteristics, such as our meads below:

Mesquite Blossom

Meadowfoam Blossom

Sensual – Organic Certified Brazilian Wildflower Mead

Avocado Blossom

This recipe was taken from The Art of Mead Tasting and Food Pairing by Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor. Visit www.meadandfood.com to get your copy.