I read a couple of articles about presidents' favorite dishes, then decided to create a menu based our nation's first gourmet (president): Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson traveled abroad extensively and knew a great deal about different cuisines. He was enthusiastic about his garden and it housed more than 250 varieties of herbs and vegetables,150 varieties of fruit. Many of them were considered exotic, and some - such as the tomato - were even thought to be poisonous by most people at that time.
Jefferson was not a vegetarian though he rarely ate meat. In fact, he consumed very few animal products at all. When he did, this dish was one of his favorites: Chicken Fricassee. It's a dish originally designed to render an aged cock or hen edible...since it cooks at a low heat for a long time. I didn't have any chicken, so I used the duck I had in the fridge.
Duck Fricassee à la Jefferson
duck legs
1 T Herbes de
1 t fleur de sel
1 t ground long pepper
1 t sweet paprika
1 t dry powdered yellow mustard
1/4 C white whole wheat flour
3 T butter
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 shallots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 C fresh small mushrooms, sliced
2 C duck stock
2/3 C white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
1 C organic heavy cream
1 C organic milk
1 C organic milk
1 C organic cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes
Wash and dry the duck pieces. Combine the next six ingredients in a mixing bowl and use it to
lightly coat the duck. Shake
off any excess flour. Heat 2 T butter in a large, flat-bottom pot. Brown the duck for about six to seven minutes on each side, or until golden
brown. Set the duck aside.
Add 1 T more butter and gently
sauté the onion, shallots, carrots, and celery until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for about two minutes. Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan
as you work.
Return the duck to the pot and and add the stock, wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover
with a tight fitting lid. Continue to
cook until the duck is very tender - about an hour. Remove the lid, increase the heat to a rapid
simmer and slowly pour in the cream and milk.
Simmer uncovered, for another fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring
occasionally to prevent scorching. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
Serve hot over steamed rice. I steamed some Jade rice that I had. That's one of my favorites.
Serve hot over steamed rice. I steamed some Jade rice that I had. That's one of my favorites.
So at what time turns the duck into a chicken - lol - jk- but you do have a typo in your recepie "...Set the duck aside....Return the chicken to the pot "
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