Fricot is a traditional Canadian stew made with chicken, vegetables, and dumplings, flavored with summer savory. It is a precursor to Cajun cuisine and can be made with beef, turkey, shrimp, or scallops. Different seasonings can be added, and it is often made with chicken or vegetable stock.
Fricot is a traditional Canadian dish that is often part of Canadian cuisine, particularly in eastern provinces such as Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This type of stew is usually made with chicken pieces and cooked vegetables mixed with dumplings. This dish gets its unique flavor from the addition of summer savory, a spice derived from a herb that is native to the region and typically blooms between the months of July and September. Dry summer savories are readily found in stores across Canada, and savvy Acadian cooks consider it a requirement for an authentic fricot recipe.
Making fricot often involves dicing chunks of meat from a whole chicken; this important step results in a richer flavor and allows a larger volume of the stew to be cooked and frozen for later. The average Canadian cook recommends a chicken weighing at least 3 pounds (about 1.4 kg) for most fricot recipes. Once the minced chicken pieces are browned in a large pot, they’re typically soaked and simmered along with chopped carrots, onions, and potatoes. For fricots that contain less fat, the chicken skin can be removed before cooking. Gnocchi in fricot are usually added last after being mixed and shaped from a separate recipe of flour, salt, yeast, and water.
This Acadian recipe is generally considered a precursor to certain types of stews associated with spicier Cajun cuisine such as gumbos and jambalaya. In addition to chicken, some fricot recipes call for stewed beef, turkey, shrimp, or scallops. Home cooks looking to add a little more vegetable variety can also add chives, peppers, and even chopped turnips. Although some recipes recommend adding water to simmer ingredients, many cooks choose chicken or vegetable stock instead. Those who like a little thicker broth usually add small measurements of potato starch or cornstarch.
While some Acadian cooks explore other influences, they often add different seasonings to the stew that complement the summery taste; examples may be garlic salt, black or red pepper, cumin, rosemary, and sometimes even Louisiana hot sauce. Several aspects of Eastern Canadian culture are evident in this popular stew dish. In some geographic areas of the country, asking someone for a French fry in Canadian French is still the equivalent of inviting them to a large dinner in general.
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