A Fricassee Of Chicken

Draw and singe the chicken as directed, and cut it into pieces. This is done as follows: Cut through the loose skin between the legs and the body, bend the legs over, and cut them off at the joint; also cut the upper leg from the lower leg at their joining. Cut off the neck and wings where they join the body, always cutting at the joints. Lay the chicken on its breast, with the tail toward you. Cut a slice off the breast reaching into the large bone of the body, thus cutting out the "happy thought" or wish-bone. Cut to the back through the incision made in taking out the entrails, and disjoint the back, cutting this piece, which contains the rump, again across the back, making two pieces of it. Cut the ribs through the entire length of the piece that will be left; also cut the length of the bird on the other side from the neck to the end of the breast-bone, and cut these large pieces again into two parts. In cutting a bird or rabbit or any meat of the kind to be fricasseed, divide it at the joints as far as possible, and never chop a bone, as that crushes it.

Place the chicken in a kettle, cover it with boiling water, and gently simmer until tender. An old fowl will need to be cooked at least two hours, but a tender one will be done in half that time. Remove the cover during the last half hour, so that the gravy in the kettle may reduce somewhat. There should be about a pint and a-half when done; and if it is already reduced to this measurement at the beginning of the last half hour, keep the cover on that it may not boil away any more. Season with salt and pepper, and add a little butter also if the chicken was lacking in fat; this, however, will rarely be necessary. Have ready some nicely toasted bread and lay it on a platter. Lift the chicken from the kettle with a long-handled skimmer and lay it on the toast. Set the gravy back where it will not boil, and with a spoon dip off all the fat that can be skimmed from the top. Then add a cupful of milk, and set the gravy again to heat. When it boils, stir in two and a-half table-spoonfuls of flour wet to a smooth paste with a little cold milk, and boil two minutes, stirring constantly; season with more salt and pepper if necessary. The gravy should be as thick as cream ; and if it is not, stir in more flour. It is always difficult to give the precise amount of thickening needed when the exact quantity to be thickened is not known. Pour the gravy over the chicken and toast, and serve at once. This is a very satisfactory way of cooking old, tough fowl; indeed, there is no other, unless, perhaps, it be that contained in the following recipe,

Braised Chicken

Prepare the same as for braised turkey, leaving out the mushrooms, and thickening the gravy poured from the braising pan. A tender chicken is rarely if ever dressed in this way, only old fowls being used.

Brown Fricassee Of Chicken

Cut in pieces as directed for fricassee of chicken. Place a quarter of a pound of salt pork or two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, put in the chicken, leaving plenty of room to turn the meat; and cook until each piece is of a rich brown tint. Add two table-spoonfuls of flour, stir well, and when it has cooked two minutes, add a pint of boiling water. When the gravy is smooth and boiling, season with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and simmer gently until the chicken is tender; then add a tea-spoonful of onion juice, if not objectionable, and dish at once. The gravy, will be found thick enough, and if the pan has a tight cover it will not be diminished even after a long cooking.