Chicken And Dill Fricassée With Sour Cream Shortcakes Recipes

CHICKEN AND DILL FRICASSéE WITH SOUR CREAM SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Make the shortcake biscuits
• Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, the salt, and the sugar. add the dill and the shortening, and blend the mixture until it resembles meal. Stir in the sour cream and the milk and stir the mixture until it just forms a soft but sticky dough. On a floured surface roll or pat out the dough 1/2 inch thick and with a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter cut out 6 rounds. Bake the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are golden.
• Make the fricassee
• In a skillet cook the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until they give off their liquid and reserve the mixture. In a large saucepan melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over moderate heat and in it cook the shallot until it is softened. Add the flour and cook the roux, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth in a stream, stirring, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the cream and boil the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the peas, the lemon juice, the salt, the dill, the chicken, the ham, the reserved mushroom mixture, and pepper to taste and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is heated through.
• Arrange a biscuit, heated and split, on each of the 6 dinner plates, spoon some of the fricassee over the bottom half, and cover it with the top half of the biscuit.

CHICKEN FRICASSéE WITH CREAMY SWEET-AND-SOUR DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring water with chicken to a boil in a wide 6-quart heavy pot, skimming froth. Add thyme sprigs, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon salt, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
• While chicken simmers, peel carrots and parsnips, then cut each carrot and parsnip crosswise into 3 equal lengths. Halve or quarter thicker pieces lengthwise so pieces are roughly the same size. Add to chicken along with onion, celery, and garlic and simmer, uncovered, until parsnips are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer carrots and parsnips with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, then continue to simmer chicken until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a bowl, then pour broth through a sieve into another large bowl. Let chicken and broth cool, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Chill broth, uncovered, until fat rises to top and solidifies, about 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, tear chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin, bones, and remaining solids in sieve. Chill chicken with carrots and parsnips, covered, about 4 hours.
• Remove and reserve 1/4 cup solidified fat from stock. (If you have less than 1/4 cup fat, add butter.) Melt fat in a wide 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux, stirring constantly, 3 minutes (do not brown). Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat slightly and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, 30 to 50 minutes. Add milk and cream, then simmer until reduced to about 3 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in chicken with vegetables, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste), and vinegar and sugar to taste and cook, stirring gently (avoid breaking up vegetables), until heated through. Stir in dill.