Chicken chasseur

Put the two hunks of fat from the chicken's cavity in the pan over moderate heat to render; oil works instead.

Quarter the mushrooms, cut the carrot, and start them cooking in the rendered fat.

When the mushrooms are about done, add the shallots and turn the heat down.

Break down the chicken: cut the skin between breast and leg quarters, dislocate the thigh joints and cut through them.

Cut the breasts off the carcass and halve each about two-thirds up from the skinny end; bone out the thighs by cutting along the bone on the underside and digging it out.

Season the chicken thoroughly with salt and pepper and coat lightly in flour.

Push the vegetables to one side, add more fat, and lay in the chicken skin side down; brown gently to golden, letting it stick, and flip.

Turn off the flame and deglaze with cognac; turn the heat back on and let it reduce.

Add the tomatoes and enough stock to cover; drop in some of the chicken bones.

Cover and simmer about an hour, until the chicken is just getting fork tender.

Take out the chicken pieces and boil the sauce down until thick, about 20 minutes, stirring more often as it thickens.

Season with soy sauce.

Kill the heat, wait for the bubbling to stop, and melt in a lot of butter gently so it stays emulsified; add a little more pepper.

Return the chicken pieces without the bones, spoon sauce over them and let them reheat; finish with tarragon.

Boil the egg noodles in salted water as long as the package says, drain, and melt butter over them.