Chicken Waterzooi

In a 6-quart soup pot over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and leeks, then cover and stew gently for about 5 minutes or until softened but not golden.

Place the chicken, breast side up, over the onions and leeks. Add the chicken broth, thyme, saffron and bay leaf and enough water to cover the bird by three-quarters.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is partially cooked, turning the bird once.

While the chicken is cooking, peel and cut the carrots into 2-inch rounds. Cut the celery into 2-inch pieces. Peel and quarter the potatoes (keep them in cold water until needed so they do not discolor).

After the chicken has simmered for 20 minutes, add the carrots, celery, potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 25 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pot to a platter and cool long enough so you can remove the skin without burning your fingers. As this is cooling, strain the broth into a large bowl, reserving the vegetables and discard the bay leaf.

Return the broth to the pot, skim off excess fat and boil it down until 5 cups remain. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Remove as much of the cooked chicken as you can, in long thin strips. Mince the parsley.

When ready to eat, add the cream to the broth, along with the reserved vegetables and chicken strips. Simmer gently without boiling until the ingredients are reheated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley. Serve immediately.