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A Second way to make a White Fricasey

YOU must take two or three rabbits or chickens, skin them, and lay them in warm water, and dry them with a clean cloth.  Put them into a stew-pan with a blade or two of mace, a little black and white pepper, an onion, a little bundle of sweet-herbs, and do but just cover them with water :  stew them till they are tender, then with a fork take them out, strain the liquor, and put them in the pan again with half a pint of the liquor, and half a pint of cream, the yolks of two eggs beat well, half a nutmeg grated, a glass of white wine, a little piece of butter rolled in flour, and a gill of mushrooms ;  keep stirring all together, all the while one way, till it is smooth and of a fine thickness, and then dish it up.  Add what you please.

From The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy, by Mrs. Glasse, 1774 edition.  

 

Our Interpretation of a White Fricassey:

 

2 Lbs of boned chicken

chicken broth - enough to cover

Sweet Herbs (thyme or lemon thyme and whatever else you like)

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 onion diced

1 cup of reserved liquor

1/3 cup  butter

 1/3 cup flour

 1 cup of cream

 2 egg yolk, beaten

 ½  nutmeg, grated

 ½ cup mushrooms, sliced

 ½-1 cup white wine

 Juice of a 1/2 lemon (optional: added in a later edition)

 

 Stew the chicken in the chicken broth with a bundle of sweet herbs. Remove herbs. Melt butter and fry onion in the butter.  Combine with flour. (Traditional recipes call for equal parts flour and fat.) Remove some liquid from the chicken and slowly add to flour butter mixture.  Add cream and beaten egg yolk. Slice mushrooms and add. Stir until the sauce is reduced. Add to the chicken and stir thoroughly. Add lemon juice if desired; stir well to keep from curdling. Garnish with lemon.