Chicken Fricassee (Fricassee de Poulet)

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 bouquets garni
• 16 small white onions
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• Hot cooked rice or noodles
  

Instructions

1. Cook and stir carrots, sliced onion and celery in 4 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven until onions are tender; push to side.
2. Add chicken; cook uncovered until light brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Add water, 1/2 cup of the wine, bouillon, salt and 1 bouquet garni. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until thickest pieces of chicken are done, about 40 minutes.
4. Heat onions, 2 tablespoons butter, remaining wine and 1 bouquet garni to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until onions are tender, about 25 minutes.
5. Remove chicken and onions to warm platter with slotted spoon.
6. Strain bouillon and onion liquid together; discard bouquets garni, carrots, onion and celery slices. Skim fat.
7. Add mushrooms and lemon juice and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until reduced to 2 1/2 cups.
8. Mix egg yolks and whipping cream.
9. Beat 1 cup hot broth by tablespoonsful into whipping cream mixture.
10. Beat in remaining broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute: pour over chicken and onions.
11. Sprinkle with parsley.
12. Serve with rice or hot buttered noodles.

Yields: 6 to 8 servings