To Make White Fricasey is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic dish of chicken pieces that are blanched, cooked in milk and water before being finished in a cream and butter sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To Make White Fricasey.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Aft of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
Original Recipe
To make a white fricaſey.
YOU may take two chickens or rabbits, ſkin them and cut them into little pieces. Lay them into warm water to draw out all the blood, and then lay them in a clean cloth to dry : put them into a ſtew-pan with milk and water, ſtew them till they are tender, and then take a clean pan, put in half a pint of cream, and a quarter of a pound of butter ; ſtir it together till the butter is melted, but you muſt be ſure to keep ſtirring all the time or it will be greaſy, and then with a fork take the chickens or rabbits out of the ſtew-pan and put into the ſauce-pan to the butter and cream. Have ready a little mace dried and beat fine, a very little nutmeg, a few muſhrooms, ſhake all together for a minute or two, and diſh it up. If you have no muſhrooms a ſpoonful of the pickle does full as well, and gives it a pretty tartneſs. This is a very pretty ſauce for a breaſt of veal roaſted.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 chicken, cleaned and skinned
300ml milk
300ml water
300ml cream
100g butter
ground mace, to taste
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
6 mushrooms, finely chopped
Method:
Joint the chicken and cut into small pieces. Place in a pan with the milk and water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
In the meantime, combine the cream and butter in a pan. Heat gently, whisking constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture begins to simmer. At this point, remove the chicken pieces from the milk and water mix with a fork.
Transfer to the cream and butter mix and season to taste with a little ground mace and nutmeg. Add the mushroom pieces and cook for a few minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
Turn into a bowl and serve immediately. For a substantial meal, serve this as a sauce to accompany a roast breast of veal.
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