Recipe of the Day - 2/22 - Chicken Fricasee w/ Lemon Mustard Sauce

[Chingal0]

CHICKEN FRICASSEE WITH LEMON MUSTARD SAUCE


There may be more sauce than you need to serve with the chicken. Use the leftovers on mashed potatoes or simply freeze for another time.
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) free-range chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. While oil is heating, sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then dredge, 1 piece at a time, in 3/4 cup flour (total), knocking off excess. Brown in 4 batches, turning over occasionally, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter as browned.

Stir together carrots, onions, garlic, cream, wine, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, then bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Add chicken (chicken will not be completely submerged) and partially cover pot, then braise in oven 25 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and braise 20 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a clean platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.

Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, then stir in water. Melt butter in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons flour and cook roux, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Add cooking liquid in a fast stream, whisking vigorously, then cook at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, 5 minutes.

Serve chicken with sauce.

Good ol' fricassee... Fairly common cooking method, just people don't know the proper name for it. Anyways, this recipe sounds pretty good, I'll have to give it a whirl sometime soon, as I need to do some damn grocery shopping. Ha.