Chicken Tartare

Directions

1. 1
   Slit the chickens up the breast and spread them out, skin side up.
2. 2
   Flatten them with the broad side of a cleaver or your hand.
3. 3
   Turn them over.
4. 4
   With a sharp knife remove the breast bone and cut halfway through the backbone so that the chickens are nicely flat; this is simple to do, as the flattening process will have loosened the bones.
5. 5
   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. 6
   Butter a couple of roasting pans with a little of the melted butter.
7. 7
   Put a chicken in each, skin side up.
8. 8
   Do not be put off by their rather froglike appearance.
9. 9
   Pour over each one 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle them with 2 heaping tablespoons parsley and the scallions.
10. 10
    Season.
11. 11
    Cover with buttered wax paper or parchment and roast for about 40 minutes or until the juices run clear.
12. 12
    Remove the paper and sprinkle each evenly with bread crumbs, baste with the pan juices and set the pans under a moderate grill - you will have to do one at a time, most likely - and leave them for 5 to 10 minutes to brown.
13. 13
    Meanwhile, mix the remaining parsley with the shallots, tarragon, chervil, mustard, vinegar and oil, and season with salt and pepper.
14. 14
    When the chickens are done cut each into four and serve with the sauce on the side.