Chicken Rillettes

Made recently for an "International Food Day" at my office. Rillettes is superior to the more widespread paté in my opinion, but it seems odd that you can only really find it in specialist shops and market stalls.

-1 chicken, sized according to how many there are to feed;
-Water, or white wine, or a mixture of both;
-Tarragon, coarsely chopped;
-Garlic, chopped. The more the better, 3 large cloves is a good quantity;
-A chunk of butter, about one third of a block;
-A generous dose of salt and pepper.

Joint the chicken, or have your butcher do it. Put the pieces into a large pot, add water or wine, and boil gently for about 90 minutes.

When done pull the meat from the bones, it should be very tender. Discard the latter, along with the skin and any remaining cartilage, and shred the former with a fork in a bowl. Keep the cooking liquor.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients, and also skim the fat from the surface of the liquor and add that too. You may need to add a little of the liquor to achieve a spreadable consistency. Taste as you mix, and add ingredients to bring a flavour to your liking. It should taste slightly too salty - when the rillettes is cold, the salt taste will be subdued. When satisfactory, put the mixture into a terrine dish or small bread tin.

Now reduce the cooking liquor to about a cupful - enough to cover the rillettes mixture by about a quarter of an inch. Allow to cool slightly, strain out any solids, and pour over the rillettes, slowly so as not to disturb it.

Place in the fridge. In about an hour or two, the liquor will have set to gelatine. To show off a little more, you could put some tarragon leaves or thinly sliced lemon in the gelatine before it sets.

Eat, on toast or fresh white bread.