Island Curry Serves 8
Place in a heavy kettle:
1 large chicken, about 5 pound
2 celery stalks
1 or 2 onions, studded with several cloves
4 cups water
3 sprigs parsley
2 tsp. salt
Simmer these ingredients for one-half hour or more until the chicken is tender. Strain the stock and return it to the kettle. When the chicken is cool enough to handle remove the meat in large chunks. Set the chicken aside for later use. Return the chicken bones and skin to the stock. Add one cup of water and simmer the stock for an additional forty-five minutes. Strain the stock a second time and set it aside. There should be at least four cups. Up to this point, the preparation may be made a day in advance.
When it is time to make the curry, use a large, heavy kettle to saute:
5 Tbs. butter
4 onions coarsely chopped
1 large apple, peeled and chopped
Stir the onions and apple frequently until they are transluscent, but not browned. Remove them from the pan, pressing out the butter as it is needed for the sauce base.
Blend in:
4 Tbs. flour
Continue stirring until the flour and butter are slightly browned. Remove the
kettle from the fire and permit it to cool slightly. Add the chicken broth, then
return the kettle to the fire. Stir the sauce constantly until it is smooth and thick.
Add:
1 cup raisins
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Strip of lime peel
Simmer the sauce an additional five minutes then add:
1 cup light cream
The sauce now becomes an individual thing! Begin with:
2 or more tsp. curry powder (preferrably Cross and Blackwell) mixed with a little water
With a wire whisk, stir the curry powder into the sauce. Now taste, and add more seasoning until the sauce is spicy with curry. The Antilleans may use as many as five tablespoonfuls!
Remove the strip of lime peel, and add the chicken pieces, the sauteed onions, and apple to the sauce. Warm the sauce only until the chicken is heated through, but do not boil it. Serve the curry over Coconut Rice, page 43, with any combination of the following condiments:
Chopped hard boiled eggs -- Peanuts -- Grated fresh ginger
Freshly grated coconut -- Diced papaya -- Diced bananas
Minced green pepper -- Chopped green onions -- Chutney
Chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado -- Potato sticks