Hühnerfrikassee (German Chicken Fricassee with Asparagus) and Mushrooms

Put the chicken in 2 liters cold water, bring to a boil, and skim off all the foam. Add the coarsely chopped carrot, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt. Simmer over low heat for 50 minutes. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone; the internal temperature should reach 74°C / 165°F.

Remove the chicken from the water. Discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside 600 ml.

Peel the white asparagus, trim off the woody ends, and cut it into 3 cm pieces. Boil it in the reserved chicken stock for 8 minutes, then lift it out with a slotted spoon. Reserve the stock for the sauce.

Add the rinsed rice and salt to 375 ml boiling water. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

Melt 10 g of the butter in a skillet and sauté the quartered mushrooms for 5 minutes, until they release and then reabsorb their liquid.

Melt the remaining butter in a wide pot and cook the flour for 2 minutes without letting it color. Gradually whisk in the hot chicken stock and cook for 8 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon; stir in the cream. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with two spoonfuls of hot sauce, then stir it into the sauce off the heat. Mix in the lemon juice, capers, and nutmeg.

Add the chicken, asparagus, and mushrooms to the sauce and warm over low heat for 3 minutes without boiling. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve with the rice.