Chicken Fricassee

Here is my take on Chicken Fricassee, a bit more earthy then ones i have had.

Chicken Fricassee

Ingredients

Group 1
1 3 to 4 lb chicken cut up
1 carrot rough chopped
3 stalks of celery rough chopped
1 large onion quartered
2 bay leaves
1 table spoon of pepper corns, about 12
1 table spoon yellow mustard seeds
hand full of Italian parsley
salt to taste

Group 2
1 stick unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup of Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of Chanterelle Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup vermouth
1/3 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Group 3
2 large baguette
4 table spoons butter, room temp
2 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped


Directions

Place chicken and all the ingredients from group 1 in a large stock pot and cover the chicken with enough water to rise about inch above the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for about and hour. The chicken is done when it starts to fall of the bone. Remove stock pot from heat, remove chicken and strain stock and set aside. Once chicken has cooled enough to handle remove meat from the bones and shred and set aside, discarding the skins and bones.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a large skillet place 1 table spoon of butter and melt, next add the mushrooms, garlic and saute until soft and tender. Remove mushrooms and garlic from skillet and add the balance of the butter. Do not worry if you can not get all the garlic out, it will be fine. Once the butter has melted add the flour an whisk until smooth: you just made a rue. Continue to whisk the rue until it takes on a golden color. Now slowly add, continuing to whisk, the cream and 3 cups of the reserved chicken stock from earlier until smooth. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for about 2 minutes, whisking every few seconds. Next up is the vermouth, salt and pepper. After vermouth has been added and simmer for about a minute, then return the mushrooms to the skillet followed by the chicken. Stir and cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Now slice up baguette. Stir the thyme into the butter and spread over the sliced up baguette, place on a cookie sheet and toast until golden brown.

Remove skillet from heat, stir in the parsley.

To serve place a few toasted baguettes on each plate and spoon chicken, mushrooms and sauce over toast and serve with more slices of toasted baguettes.

You can also serve over rice or pasta.

Enjoy cooking