FOOD NEWS
The Chicken Fricassee Dish Improvised By Civil War Soldiers
BY MAGGIE PEÑA
Civil War troops in the 1860s traveled light with whatever food they had, so they often improvised dishes to stay fed. One such dish is the four-ingredient chicken fricassee.
To cook fricassee, you simply saute a protein, typically chicken, until just-cooked, then add it to a broth or gravy. However, Civil War soldiers fried the meat until golden brown.
Then, they took it from the pan and added flour and boiling water to the remaining grease to create a gravy. Finally, the meat was added back, seasoned with paper, and served.