Rachel Roddy’s chicken with sweet and sour lemon and tarragon sauce – recipe

While I look at my copies of Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book, Anna del Conte’s Amaretto, Apple Cake and Artichokes, and Francis Bissell’s The Scented Kitchen at home, they seem different from when they are pulled from the shelves in my parent’s kitchen in Dorset. Also, on the first morning of any stay, looking at these three with a cup of tea before anyone else is up has become a habit that may be superstitious.

On the second day, I made a recipe from the inimitable Anna, who also lives in Dorset and is now 100. For her recipe of chicken breasts in a 17th-century sweet and sour sauce, Anna was inspired by Bartolomeo Stefani, chef to Prince Ottavio Gonzaga (one of the numerous members of The House of Gonzaga who ruled Mantua from 1328 to 1708) and author of the 1662 manual, L’arte di Ben Cucinare (The Art of Fine Cooking). Anna notes that Stefani was a chef of great inventiveness, and one of the first to move away from the heavily spiced recipes of the Middle Ages towards a style of cooking with a lighter touch, flavoured with herbs, citrus and flowers. And this recipe is a good example of his approach to ingredients: poached chicken (originally capon) served in thick slices with a sweet-and-sour sauce of wine, sugar, vinegar, olive oil and lemon. Once assembled, the dish is left to sit in order for the chicken slices to soak up the sauce’s flavours, and then served at room temperature. It is a lovely dish for a hot day (or evening).

Bartolomeo’s recipe asks for balsamic vinegar, as does Anna’s version, but I have come to enjoy it made with a proportion of or entirely with good red-wine vinegar, also tarragon, whose mossy scent and touch of lemon and aniseed is welcome, also for the colour. When making the sauce, it is important to whisk the olive oil into the other ingredients gradually but vigorously, in much the same way you would a dressing or mayonnaise. By doing so, the oil and water molecules are forced to combine, forming a slightly thickened emulsion. Taste and taste again, then add more salt and vinegar.

Just before serving, tilt the plate so you can spoon some of the sauce over the chicken slices, and add a little more tarragon and lemon slices, if you think it needs more colour. A good accompaniment is boiled or braised courgettes, new potatoes or a mix of both, while bread (which is more soft than crusty) is essential for soaking up the 17th/21st-century lemon sauce.

Chicken with sweet and sour lemon and tarragon sauce

Serves 4

4 large skinless chicken breasts
375ml white wine
300ml light vegetable stock
3 tbsp soft brown sugar

Grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon, plus 2 tbsp juice
1 handful fresh tarragon leaves
3 tbsp balsamic or red-wine vinegar
75ml olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Put the chicken breasts in a pan large enough for them to lay snugly in a single layer , then pour over 300ml wine and all of the stock, and place on a low-medium heat.

Allow the wine and stock to come slowly to a lively poaching simmer (the surface should shudder) for 12 minutes, then pull from the heat and cover for three minutes. Scoop out the chicken breasts from the poaching liquid, wrap in tinfoil and leave to rest for five minutes. (If you are not using them straight away, return to the broth once it is cold until you are ready to use them.)

In a small pan, warm the sugar and remaining wine and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pull from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice, plus the tarragon leaves; leave to cool.

Add the vinegar to a bowl and gradually whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion, then taste and add salt and pepper.

Lift the chicken from the broth and cut the meat into 1cm-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a plate and spoon over the dressing, then cover and set aside for at least half an hour at room temperature (and up to a few hours) before serving.