There is a dish in Sardinian cuisine that needs no sauces or exotic spices. It only needs patience and the scent of our wild scrub. We are talking about Gallina al Mirto (Poached Hen with Myrtle).
Finding a real free-range Sardinian hen today is a treasure hunt, but the taste is incomparable to standard supermarket chicken. The meat is firm, flavorful, and darker.
The Secret: The magic happens after cooking. The hot boiled hen is wrapped in layers of fresh myrtle leaves. The heat releases the essential oils of the plant, infusing the meat deeply.
Method:
- Boil: Cook the hen in water with onion, carrot, and celery for at least 1.5 - 2 hours (free-range meat takes time to soften!).
- The Ritual: While still steaming hot, place the hen in a pot lined with fresh myrtle branches. Cover it completely with more leaves.
- Rest: Seal the pot and let it rest for 24 hours.
- Serve: Remove the leaves. The meat will smell like the Mediterranean forest. Serve cold with just a drizzle of high-quality Olive Oil.
