Chicken Bog

Instructions

Put the hen in a heavy aluminum pot and cover it with hot water, using enough that you will end up with at least 6 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for an hour or more, until the chicken is very tender. While it cooks, put 4 cups of the rice in a bowl, cover it with cold water, and leave it to soak.

Take the pot off the stove and let it cool until the chicken can be handled. Lift the chicken out, pull the meat from the bones in large pieces without cutting it up, and discard any skin that is heavy with fat. Pour the broth into a bowl, and if it is very fatty, skim off about 1 cup of the fat.

Wash the pot, add the bacon, and cook it slowly until crisp. Lift the bacon out to drain, leaving the grease in the pot. Add the chopped onion and green pepper and cook until lightly browned.

Pour in 6 cups of the broth and season with salt and black pepper, at least a tablespoon of each. Be generous, because the rice will soak up a lot of the salt. Turn up the heat and bring the broth to a boil, then add the chicken.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot, then add the stick of butter and mix well. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer very slowly for about an hour. Do not stir during this time, or the rice will turn gooey.

When the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, take the pot off the heat. Serve hot, with the bacon crumbled over the top if you like. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator or freezer and can be reheated.