Interested in trying some authentic meals?

Acadian, Québecois or French Cultural Recipes

Fricot au poulet (Chicken Fricot)

Fricot is French for a special kind of stew or hearty soup made from a mixture of meat and potatoes, cooked in broth. You'd be sure to find chicken fricot at an annual "Festival Acadian de Caraquet" where the persistance and strength of the Acadian people is celebrated. Here you would experience traditional folk music, crafts, costumes and old-fashioned Acadian dishes. Discover the unique taste of Acadian cuisine for yourself and this delicious recipe for chicken fricot, New Brunswick style.

1. In a large saucepan, fry chicken pieces in butter, over medium heat, for 30 mins. Add salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, prepare vegetables.
2. Add onions and continue to cook for 10 mins.
3. Add boiling water and savory and simmer for 20 mins or until chicken is tender.
4. Remove chicken pieces from pot and allow to cool.
5. Bring stock to a boil and add vegetables; reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins. Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bones.
6. Add chicken meat and vegetables and stock and simmer 20 mins or longer

Rapure (Rappie pie)

The Acadians always had an abundance of potatoes in their "cellars" and this was a family treat.

Ingredients

• 1 (5 lb) chicken
• 3 medium onions, quartered
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 slices bacon (or salted pork fat, diced)
• 15 medium potatoes (about 8 pounds)
• salt and pepper
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 4 ounces butter

Directions

In a large stockpot, place chicken, quartered onions, 1 carrot, celery and salt. Add water until ingredients are just covered. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Simmer 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. When done, remove skin and bones from chicken and cut meat into pieces. Strain stock, discard vegetables and reserve liquid.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Fry bacon until crisp. Peel potatoes then grate very fine, or purée in a blender. Squeeze 1 cup of potatoes at a time through a clean dish towel to remove liquid. Reserve all liquid. Place drained potatoes in a large bowl. Measure potato liquid. Measure out an equal amount of chicken stock then discard potato liquid.

In a stockpot bring chicken stock to a rolling boil. Gradually stir hot stock into potatoes and mix thoroughly until all lumps are removed. As boiling stock cooks potatoes, they will take on a jelly-like appearance. Season with salt and pepper. Stir vigorously.

Cover bottom of a well-greased pan with half of the potato mixture. Arrange pieces of chicken, diced onions, carrots and pats of butter on top, distributing evenly. Cover with the other half of potato mixture and another layer of onions, carrots and butter. Top with strips of bacon to form the crust. Bake 2 hours or until a browned crust forms. Serve piping hot. Garnish with butter or molasses.

Beignet

Beignets are fried dough pieces that are similar to doughnuts or fritters, but are square in shape. After frying them in oil, they are sprinkled with sugar or coated with various icings. Parents might enjoy a café au lait with their beignets, and kids love these with a cold glass of milk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Vegetable shortening, for deep frying
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a small saucepan combine the water, butter, granulated sugar, and salt and bring the mixture to a rapid boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook the paste over low heat, beating briskly, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the dough cleanly leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. By hand or with an electric mixer set at medium speed beat the paste until it is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla.

In the deep fryer, heat shortening at 370°F. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the shortening, and fry the beignets in batches, turning them, until golden brown (about 3 minutes). With a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle the beignets with the confectioners' sugar and serve them hot.

Plough (Buckwheat pancake)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of buckwheat flour
• 1 cup of regular flour
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of cold water
• 1/2 cup of boiling water

Directions

Mix dry ingredients. Add cold water and let stand for 10 minutes. Add boiling water until consistency is similar to pancake batter, and drop to make thin 6" pancakes on hot griddle, 400°F. Bake on one side only, until top has bubbled and is firm. Serve on warm platter, cover with napkins.

For breakfast, serve the ploys with cretons, a spicy pork meat spread. For lunch, try serving with butter, and at dinner, with maple syrup or molasses for a sweet treat!

Tarte au sucre brun (Brown Sugar Pie)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a saucepan, combine flour and sugar. Stir in milk, butter, salt and vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 25 minutes.

Tourtière (Ground Meat Pie)

Ingredients

This tourtière is a traditional meal that can be served during the Christmas holidays, but is also delicious all year round.

• 2 lbs. ground pork
• 1 med. onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 potato, peeled and quartered
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
• Pastry for a double crust pie
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water for glaze

Directions

Combine all ingredients except pastry and egg yolk. Blend thoroughly. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Skim any excess fat. Cook until mixture is tender and moist, but not wet. Let the meat mixture cool. Remove potato and mash with a fork. Return to meat mixture and mix well. Check seasoning.

Roll dough and line a deep 9 inch pie pan with 2/3 of the pastry. Add the filling. Brush edges of crust with egg glaze. Roll out top crust and arrange on top. Seal, make vent holes to allow steam to escape and brush with egg glaze. Bake the tourtière in a preheated 375 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until crust is browned.