Chicken a la King
Kate Aiken was given to by by my Grandma (dad’s mom) for our wedding shower and I was delighted. Her recipes were the pioneer of healthy cooking. I found this great description on Amazon »
From the 1930s to the 1950s, Kate Aitken was a role model for millions of Canadian women who listened to her national radio show, clipped her recipes from theMontreal Standard, where she was Women’s Editor, and purchased her books and pamphlets on everything from cooking and childcare to travel and etiquette. Kate Aitken’s Canadian Cook Book was first published in 1945 and became an instant bestseller. In Kate’s own words, the book is “a handy, inexpensive guide to healthful daily living.” Along with delicious recipes for appetizers, baked goods, canning, main dishes, salads, soups, and quick lunches and suppers, she provides a wealth of information on nutrition, “Notes to Brides”, and helpful hints on cooking. Considered the “Martha Stewart” of her day, Kate Aitken’s practical recipes endure to delight Canadian families today.
Born in Beeton, Ontario in 1891, Kate Scott learned the arts of homemaking and business from her parents. A born speaker and educator, she began teaching at only 14 years old. Shortly after her marriage in 1914 to her childhood sweetheart, Henry M. Aitken, Kate began a business canning and preserving the crops from their farm.
Truly a woman after my own heart! This recipe is derived from her classic Chicken a la King on page 205, which is totally appropriate because the cover shows her hugging a hen. I’ve also included one of her famous footnotes so you get an idea of her writing style and comparison to “Martha.”
- 3 cups diced, cooked chicken (recommend boiling with veggies to make stock)
- 1½ cups mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbs green pepper, chopped
- 3 Tbs butter
- 3 Tbs flour
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- ½ cup milk
Neat and handy tip: “If the hot stock is strained through a flannel wrung from hot water, all the fat is eliminated).
Heat the butter and add the shrooms and pepper. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are golden and let go of their juices (about 5 minutes). Sprinkle with flour and cook 2-3 minutes more (to form a roux). Slowly add the stock until well blended, smooth and thick. Then stir in the milk and chicken; heat to boiling and serve once heated through.
Makes 8 servings.
To serve: “Here is the neatest way to serve the chicken a la king. Cut thin slices of brea; remove the custs and brush with the chicken fat. Line oiled muffin pans with the bread and bake in a fairly hot oven. The bread cases lift out easily after baking, are crisp and brown and will hold a good liberal serving.
