Secret Recipe Chicken Fricassee

RICK STEIN'S CHICKEN FRICASSéE WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Soak the morels in the tepid water for about 15 minutes, then drain them in a fine sieve over a bowl. Strain the liquid and reserve 75ml for the sauce. Rinse the morels under cold running water to remove any debris and dry them on kitchen paper. Cut them in half lengthways. Melt half of the butter in a large sauté pan or frying pan. Fry the chicken, skin-side down, for 2-3 minutes until light golden brown, then turn them over and repeat on the other side. Take the chicken out of the pan and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the pan. Fry the shallot over a medium heat until softened, then add the morels and chestnut mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the Noilly Prat or sherry, the morel soaking liquid and chicken stock, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the crème fraiche and stir, then put the chicken back in the pan, along with any juices that have seeped out. Cover the pan and cook the chicken over a medium heat for about 8 minutes or until it is cooked through. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper and serve immediately with pilaf rice (page 303 of Rick Stein's Secret France) or potatoes.

SECRET RECIPE CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Steps:

• Mix flour and margarine together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the flour and margarine form a paste.
• Whisk cream into flour mixture about 1/2 cup at a time until smoothly combined; whisk in chicken broth and parsley. Bring sauce to a simmer, whisking constantly until thickened.
• Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl.
• Whisk egg yolk mixture slowly into cream mixture, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce barely comes to a simmer and coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil.
• If thicker sauce is desired, whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup of sauce in a small bowl; stir cornstarch mixture back into sauce until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir chicken breast pieces into sauce until chicken is heated through.

CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Steps:

• In a resealable plastic bag, combine 2-1/4 teaspoons flour, salt, pepper and thyme. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a small skillet, brown chicken in butter. Remove chicken and set aside. In same skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and celery until crisp-tender. Return chicken to the pan. Add water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, turning occasionally., Place remaining flour mixture in a bowl; stir in milk until smooth. Stir into pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with parsley.

CHICKEN FRICASSEE

Steps:

• cut the chicken breasts into long strips about a cm wide.
• Then toss them into flour until fully covered.
• dice the onion and mushrooms
• heat the butter in a frying pan and cook the onions until soft.
• Add the mushrooms to the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes
• add the chicken, cook until brown all over.
• pour in the white wine and boil to burn off the alcohol. add the sprig of thyme and cumin & salt and peper to taste.
• add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes
• remove from the heat and add the double cream, return to the heat and warm through taking care not to boil.
• serve on a bed of rice.