Recipe: Rhode Island Chicken

This recipe will serve 4 people.

3-lb chicken, whole
1 stalk celery with leaves, in 4 pieces
½ onion, sliced
1 t thyme, crumbed
½ t freshly ground pepper
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, sliced
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 T lemon juice
Salt

Wash and truss the chicken.
Place it in a large saucepan and add water halfway up the chicken.
Add the celery, onion, thyme, pepper, parsley, bay leaf, and carrot.
Partially cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Remove the chicken and keep it warm in the oven.
Strain the broth, return it to the pan, and boil until reduced to 2 cups.
Melt the butter in a second saucepan.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes until smooth.
Slowly add the reduced broth, stirring over low heat for 3-4 minutes more.
Little by little, add ½ cup of simmering sauce to the egg yolks, beating constantly.
Return the sauce-egg mixture to the sauce remaining in the pan, and cook 1 minute more.
Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and then add salt to taste.
Serve the sauce alongside the chicken.