A fricassee is a classic dish in which poultry or meat is first seared in fat, then braised with liquid until cooked. This recipe is finished with a little cream — leave it out if you wish.
SERVES: 4-6
PREP TIME: 30 min
COOK TIME: 45 min
READY TIME: 1 hour 15 min
CUISINE: French
CALORIES: 340 (per serving)
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INGREDIENTS
- 1.2-1.3 kg/2½-3 lb chicken, cut into pieces
- 55 g/2 oz/4 tbsp butter
- 30 ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 30 g/1 oz/3 tbsp plain flour
- 250 ml/8 fl oz/1 cup dry white wine
- 750 ml/1¼ pints/ 3 cups chicken stock
- Bouquet garni
- 1.5 ml/¼ tsp white pepper
- 225 g/8 oz button mushrooms, trimmed
- 5 ml/1 tsp lemon juice
- 16-24 small white onions, peeled
- 125 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup water
- 5 ml/l tsp sugar
- 90 ml/6 tbsp whipping cream
- Salt
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
1 Wash the chicken pieces, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Melt half the butter with the oil in a large, heavy flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Add half the chicken pieces and cook for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, or until just golden in colour. Transfer to a plate, then cook the remaining pieces in the same way.
2 Return the seared chicken pieces to the casserole. Sprinkle with the flour, turning the pieces to coat. Cook over a low heat for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally.
3 Pour in the wine, bring to the boil and add the stock. Push the chicken pieces to one side and scrape the base of the casserole, stirring until well blended.
4 Bring the liquid to the boil, add the bouquet garni and season with a pinch of salt and white pepper. Cover and simmer over a medium heat for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with a knife.
5 Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat the remaining butter over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and lemon juice and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are golden, stirring. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl, add the onions, water and sugar to the pan, swirling to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until just tender. Tip the onions and any juices into the bowl with the mushrooms and set aside.
6 When the chicken is cooked, transfer the pieces to a deep serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the bouquet garni. Add any cooking juices from the vegetables to the casserole. Bring to the boil and boil, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced by half.
7 Whisk the cream into the sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook for a further 2 minutes. Adjust the seasoning, then pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS
Calories: 340 Kcal
Fat: 6 g
Sugar: 22 g
Cholesterol: 32 mg
Protein: 18 g
COOK’S TIP
This dish can be made ahead and kept hot in a warm oven for up to an hour before serving.