Last night on my Instagram, I shared what I cooked for dinner. It was a simple Chicken Fricassee from 1755. I found the recipe on Townsends’ Youtube channel and by the way this guy should totally have his own show on PBS.
I figured you might enjoy a list of ingredients and instructions that a copied while watching the video. I’ve made it twice and never seem to have an white wine on hand, but beer is an acceptable substitution. This is a super quick meal that you’ll have plated up in no time. It can be cooked over an open flame or on a traditional stove top. So it's a great option for those of you who enjoy camping or glamping. There are no quantities listed, so you’ll have to check out the video (link above) and then follow your gut on how much of each ingredient. I’ve used chicken breasts and chicken thighs in this recipe and the thighs were slightly juicer and more flavorful than the breasts, the first time I made this. The only thing I've regretted each time I've made this, is that I never have a loaf of sourdough bread to sop up the sauce. Last night, my youngest drank the remaining sauce out of a tea cup. It's that good folks!
Chicken Fricassee via Townsends circa 1755
butter
chicken ( rabbit or squirrel would work too), cut into chucks
All Purpose flour
mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
white wine*
chicken broth
a bouquet of sweet herbs ( basil, rosemary, sage or your choice)
parsley
lemon juice
whole milk or cream
the yolk of an egg
salt
Toss chicken with flour and sear in butter. Add mushrooms, deglaze with white wine and a bit of broth. Add a pinch of salt and the bouquet of herbs. Let sauce thicken slightly, simmer and add lemon juice and cream. Stir. Make a liaison from the remaining broth and the yolk of an egg and add slowly into the sauce. Garnish with parsley. Serve with a crusty bread to sop up the sauce.
*A IPA beer works in a pinch is the place of white wine. I’ve used a light golden amber with a hoppy/citrus note. Extra chicken broth will also work if you're not wanting to add any alcohol to this recipe.
Culinary term- A Liaison in cooking is a binding agent. In theory, a binding agent in cooking can be anything, such as bread crumbs or flour, but the term “liaison” is used almost exclusively to refer to a mixture of cream and egg yolks use to thicken soups or sauces.
Enjoy!
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