Spring Vegetable Fricassée
If you spend enough time going through old and new French recipes, you will eventually run across a Fricassée recipe. This method of cooking – mixing vegetables, potatoes and some sort of white sauce with meat or fish – was common and highly regarded throughout France and Europe.
According to Larousse Gastronomique, the word fricassée evolved from fricot, a term used to describe any simple, tasty and popular dish – quite a broad definition that leaves plenty of space for individual interpretation. And that’s exactly what I’ve done.
I use any fresh spring vegetable I can find – typically 5-7
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If you spend enough time going through old and new French recipes, you will eventually run across a Fricassée recipe. This method of cooking – mixing vegetables, potatoes and some sort of white sauce with meat or fish – was common and highly regarded throughout France and Europe.
According to Larousse Gastronomique, the word fricassée evolved from fricot, a term used to describe any simple, tasty and popular dish – quite a broad definition that leaves plenty of space for individual interpretation. And that’s exactly what I’ve done.
I use any fresh spring vegetable I can find – typically 5-7 varieties. And I always try to include potatoes and my favorite type of mushroom. Those are my ingredient rules. I cook everything separately…and just long enough so the vegetables keep a bite. Once I have the vegetables prepared, I can leisurely finish the dish at the last moment by heating everything together in my white sauce.
I suggest serving this dish warm or at room temperature as a salad…perhaps with a bit of fresh bread and a splash of white wine or a light red.
Difficulty: moderate
Yield: makes about 4-6 servings