Chicken Fricassee

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 chicken (soup chicken or chicken pieces, e.g. legs and wings)
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 500 ml broth (taken from the cooked chicken)
• 1 can mushrooms, whole or sliced
• 1 jar asparagus, spears
• 1 can of vegetables (mixed vegetables or just peas)
• 1 small jar of capers
• 1 cup of cream
• Salt
• possibly sauce thickener
• possibly lemon juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

First, place the soup chicken (or chicken parts—about 10-15 legs and/or wings) in a large pot of boiling water and season well with salt. Then chop the soup vegetables and add them. Simmer over medium heat for about 1 hour. You can also buy ready-made packages of chicken giblets for soups, which also include vegetables. However, it’s recommended to buy a few wings and drumsticks as well, as you’ll otherwise have hardly any meat. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot, and then the puzzle work begins. Simply pull as much meat from the bones as possible and place it in a separate bowl. You can throw away the skin, but I always add it to the soup water and vegetables afterwards, add a little more salt, and bring everything back to a boil. This makes a wonderful chicken broth. Then scoop out about half a liter of the broth and pour it into a coffee mug or jug. Then melt the butter in a medium to large saucepan, then add the flour, stirring constantly with a whisk until the mixture bubbles, but do not let it turn dark. Immediately add the stock. If it is not the desired consistency, simply add a little more flour or light sauce thickener. And then you’re almost done. Simply add the chicken, mushrooms, asparagus (chopped finely), and mixed vegetables to the pan and stir well. Bring to a boil briefly. Then add the capers and cream. Let it simmer for a while again. Season to taste. Perhaps add a little more salt or a dash of lemon juice. Serve with rice or simply a slice of toast.