Spring Chicken Ragout With Handmade Egg Noodles Recipes

MOM'S EASY CHICKEN & HOMEMADE NOODLES

Steps:

• In large stock pot, combine chicken, salt & water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer til chicken is fully cooked.
• While chicken cooks, combine eggs & salt in mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer with dough hook attachment, but it can be mixed by hand with a fork) & beat eggs slightly. Gradually add flour & milk to eggs & continue mixing until the flour is incorporated & dough is no longer sticky to the touch. Slightly more or less flour may be necessary, depending on the size of your eggs.
• When dough is ready, form into a ball & turn out onto a well floured surface. Knead by hand a few times, adding more flour if it gets sticky again. Pat into a round & then roll out into a large rectangle about 12x15 or so & 1/4 inch thick. Be sure to flip dough often, keeping it well floured so it doesn't stick.
• Starting at a short end, use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1/4 inch wide (or smaller)strips. (To do the cutting with a sharp knife: flour the top of your rectangle, roll up jelly roll style & slice into 1/8 inch spirals.) When all strips are cut, unroll if needed & toss them with enough flour to keep them from sticking together. Spread noodles out in a single layer on your rolling surface & leave to dry a bit while you are finishing the chicken.
• When chicken is cooked, remove to a cutting board, (discarding the water it was cooked in) & use two forks to shred it into bite-sized lengths.
• Add the chicken broth to the stock pot & bring broth & water to a boil.
• Add noodles & whatever flour is with them to the boiling pot.
• Add the shredded chicken & stir gently. Reduce heat to low to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
• Add the cream of chicken soup & stir well. If this makes the mixture too thick, add enough of the optional water to make your desired consistency. we like it a bit stew-like, but still thin enough to look like gravy on mashed potatoes.
• Simmer all for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until noodles are tender. Timing really depends on how thick your noodles are cut. We like them a little on the thick side. Serve over mashed potatoes.

MIDWEEK CHICKEN, SPRING ONION AND NOODLE STIR FRY

Steps:

• Firstly, cook the noodles as per the directions on the packet, drain and leave to one side.
• Warm the oil in the pan and fry the garlic and ginger, stirring for about 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken and stir around the pan. Meanwhile prepare the stock and add the soy sauce to the stock, stir and leave to one side. Check the chicken is cooked/brown before moving on.
• Add the spring onions and stir briefly.
• Then add the stock, stir. Then add the noodles abit a time and mix everything together.
• Add a good pinch of black pepper, toss everything together until nice and hot and serve.

FRENCH CANADIAN RAGOUT (FRICOT)

Steps:

• HOME MADE BROWNED FLOUR: Turn oven on to broil.
• In a large skillet put about 3 cups of all purpose flour.
• Place in the oven on the middle rack.
• Let the flour brown for about 5-6 minutes.
• Remove and stir well.
• Repeat, mixing every 5-6 minutes.
• Be careful not to burn.
• This may require 4-6 times.
• Brown and mix until flour is a nice light caramel colour.
• In a large pot put the pork pieces, the studded onion, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• Cover with water about two inches above.
• Bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hour.
• The meat should be well done.
• Remove the meat and let cool so you can handle it.
• Remove the skin and most of the fat, leaving the meat in chunks.
• Refrigerate.
• Meanwhile let the broth cool overnight so the fat comes to the top and congeals so it can be removed.
• FOR THE MEATBALLS: Mix all the other ingredients, (except browned flour) in a bowl.
• Mix well and form meatballs about one inch in diameter.
• Cover a baking pan with foil and cook the meatballs in a 350°F oven for approx 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate.
• The next day put the reserved pork meat in the pot and pour enough of the degreased broth to cover by about 3 inches.
• Bring to a light boil.
• Meanwhile, Mix the flour with cold water a bit at a time until you get a medium thick paste.
• Pour one large spoonful at a time in the broth and let simmer a few minutes.
• Repeat until the sauce is thickened to your taste (not too thick).
• Add the meatballs and cook another 7-10 minutes.
• Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes.
• If you want to be traditional, also serve with the tourtiere.

SPRING CHICKEN RAGOUT WITH HANDMADE EGG NOODLES

Steps:

• 1. In your mixer with a dough hook, combine flour and salt. Add the slightly beaten egg and mix- mixture should form a stiff dough. Add 4 tablespoons water and mix until well combined and then using dough hook mix on medium speed 5 more minutes.
• 2. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out 1/8 thickness.
• 3. Cut into strips egg noodle width.
• 4. Now that your noodles are prepared, cover them with plastic wrap and begin your soup.
• 5. In a dutch oven heat olive oil on medium heat. Salt and pepper your chicken thighs. Add chicken thighs skin side down and cook until skin is golden brown and crispy. This will add amazing flavor and richness to your chicken broth later on.
• 6. Turn and brown the bottom of the chicken thighs as you did the tops. Remove from pot and add wine minced garlic, celery and onions - at this point to cook until translucent while deglazing the pot.
• 7. Return chicken to pot. Add chicken stock. Tie the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf together using one of the sprigs of thyme - you will pull these out at the end. Add to the chicken and stock along with the carrot and leek put the lid on.
• 8. Simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and asparagus and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
• 9. Add lemon zest and juice, give it a taste test and add salt and pepper as desired.
• 10. Remove chicken thighs. Skin them and remove the meat from the bone and add it back to the pot. Add egg noodles and give it a stir. Cook for 7 minutes or until pasta is done. Remove herbs and enjoy (: