A lemony fricassee feast for spring
Chicago Tribune
What's the best way to remember the difference between a stew and an old-fashioned fricassee -- which has been around longer than Shakespeare's plays but sounds like something from a Bugs Bunny cartoon?
Try this: Fricassee forward, stew back.
Because fricassee can be a perfect springtime supper.
Not that confusion about the antecedents of the two dishes is clogging the food blogs. You won't find many modern cooks who recall what a fricassee is, really, or what the word even means.
The name probably originates from mid-Century France. "Fricasser" means to cut up and fry, although the "casser" part -- to break or crack -- could also have indicated the breaking of eggs, once added by cooks to thicken the sauce.
And for the record, a fricassee is a lighter, more delicate affair than a dark and wintry stew.
Lemony chicken fricassee
Serves 4
Brown chicken parts in two batches, if necessary. They will steam rather than brown if too close together.
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons each: olive oil, butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 large leek, halved lengthwise, sliced into 1/2 -inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely chopped
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
3 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into
1 1/2 -inch pieces
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon flour
Juice of 2 large lemons plus zest of 1 lemon
1 cup half-and-half or whipping cream
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon each of the olive oil and the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden on each side, 4-6 minutes per side.
2. Transfer chicken to a platter; pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Add half of the wine to Dutch oven; cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits, 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until liquid is almost absorbed, 1 minute. Add broth; heat to a simmer. Return chicken to Dutch oven; cook, turning once or twice, until very tender, about 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to clean platter; set aside. Skim off as much fat as possible from cooking liquid.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks; cook, stirring, until almost translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic and carrots; cook, stirring, until carrots are tender, 6 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until they absorb their own liquid. Stir in tarragon. Add remaining wine; simmer 1 minute. Add asparagus; cook until bright green, 4 minutes. Add peas; heat through. Stir vegetables into chicken-cooking liquid in Dutch oven.
4. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of the butter in the vegetable skillet over medium heat. Add flour; cook, whisking, until it begins to turn brown, 2 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice until absorbed. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half until the mixture thickens, 3 minutes. Add lemon zest and pepper to taste. Slowly stir cream mixture into broth and vegetables. Return chicken to Dutch oven; add parsley. Simmer on low until heated through, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition analysis per serving: 823 calories, 48 grams fat, 17 grams saturated fat, 193 milligrams cholesterol, 35 grams carbohydrates, 63 grams protein, 1,023 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber, 52 percent of calories from fat
