Chicken Dinner

[pantryslut]

Last night, I made what, according to Julia Child (whose recipe I did not follow but did crib from), is technically a "fricasee." I've always wondered what the hell a fricasee was, and apparently it's when you start cooking the food in question in a small amount of fat, and then finish it off by simmering it in liquid.

So that's what I did. I took a whole cut up chicken, dredged it in flour (except for tha back, which I froze for stock), and browned it in butter and oil in the big iron skillet. Then I took it out, threw in some sliced spring onions and green garlic, and sauteed them until soft. Then I put the chicken back in, I added chicken stock and white wine (about a cup of each), and a whole lot of fresh shelled peas and edible pea pods. Plus a bay leaf and a sprinkling of thyme, and salt and pepper (because I forgot to salt and pepper the chicken directly). I covered the mess and let it simmer for a half hour.

After that, I removed the chicken again, reduced the sauce a little, added some cream, and put the chicken back in. After the chicken was coated in sauce and warm through, I served it.

Yum!

The pea stuff was maybe a little overcooked -- it was definitely a dull green -- but delicious. The chicken was just done. The sauce was very nice. I'd do this again.

Comments

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

Yum yum.

We have two recipes on this general model - we call them both "gooey chicken" - one is based on mustard and the other on tomato. I'll dig up our recipe book if'n you're interested.

[imnotandrei.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me -- the shortcake recipe was prepared after, and worked quite well. ;)

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

I'm *so* glad to hear. Did you have it with strawbs?

I have a bunch of desserty recipes that are going to waste in my recipe book (now that I am not doing the wheat). I'll have to see what else you might like.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

I grew up with chicken fricasee, but I could not have defined it. The major component, in my memory, was chicken really really falling off the bone and tender. Also rice.

[bluebrie.livejournal.com]

That sounds so delicious!

[charleshaynes.livejournal.com]

If you reduce the liquid, the same technique is how you make poulet saute, one of my favorite dishes.

Sautee the chicken over high heat until golden brown (I don't use flour, just salt and pepper.) Remove it, sautee some aromatics (I like shallots) briefly in the pan drippings. Return the chicken to the pan, add some appropriate spices cover tightly and cook for 30-40 minutes.

I often add things besides the aromatics, and sometimes a small amount of liquid. One of my favorite variations is to add some coarsely chopped dried apricots and about 1/2 cup brandy and season with a tiny bit of allspice.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

Yum! I will keep this in mind for the future. Thanks!