Taste Buds

Ah, I hope you are all well in the Tribune villages and enjoying the summer weather? This issue is my opportunity to tell you about a simple but truly traditional French classic, with as many variations as there are grandmothers in my country.

Fricassee de Poulet a

from the kitchen of

For four diners: 12 good sized thighs, well trimmed; salt and pepper to taste; 3 tbsp butter, softened and cubed; 1 tbsp olive oil; medium onion, diced; 1 large carrot diced; 1 celery stalk diced; 8 oz chestnut (brown) mushrooms; 1 cup dry white wine; 3 cups chicken stock; 1 can of condensed chicken soup (Heinz preferably), 1 bay leaf; 2 sprigs both fresh thyme/parsley; ¼ cup double cream; 3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh tarragon; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp flour.

Fricassee de Poulet a L'Ancienne

A chicken fricassée is halfway between a sauté and a stew and relies always on humble ingredients and a single pot. It’s peasant food in France: wine-simmered chicken with hearty vegetables in a rich, silky sauce. A great staple to have as a one-pot master recipe in your repertoire – for guests and friends to enjoy as a formal dinner dish with a couple of colourful sides or for just a simple get together supper in the kitchen, with good bread and wine.

 Season the trimmed chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Preheat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons butter and the oil to pot. When butter melts and foam subsides, add half the chicken, skin side down, in a single layer; do not crowd pot. Fry chicken, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a warm plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken and transfer to the plate. Reduce pot heat to medium, and add onion, carrot, and celery, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms darken, become glossy, and begin to release liquid, 4 to 5 minutes.

 Stir in flour and cook until flour is absorbed by vegetables and is no longer visible, about 1 minute.  Add wine and stock and bring up to heat, stirring until liquid just thickens. Place chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on vegetables; pour juices that have accumulated on plate into pot. Tie parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine; add to pot. Bring back up to heat then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially and cook for

My own hand for creating this is the great Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern simplified French cooking, the genius behind the creation of The Ritz kitchen and an inspiration to me and generations of chefs throughout the world. Indeed, he is known as roi des cuisiniers et cuisinier des rois "king of chefs and chef of kings”. I use chicken thighs, bone-in (for flavour) and skin-on, rather than a whole chicken into pieces; it is simpler to cook for even portions and is also very cheap to buy. By all means bone the chicken if you want but in any event always remove excess skin please.

around 20/25 minutes. Remove chicken and transfer to a clean warmed plate.  Add condensed soup and simmer, stirring, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.  Discard herbs. Return chicken to pot. Add tarragon, lemon juice, cream and the remaining butter. Bring to a simmer, stir gently to combine, and serve on large pre-warmed white plates. At Chez Pierre we serve with asparagus and broccoli in separate dishes and plenty of parmesan potatoes. I have to say I nearly always offer our lightly-chilled house Sauvignon Blanc to compliment this recipe.