Alicot

An alicot, otherwise known as an alicuit or ragout d'abattis is a southern French stew made of the cheapest parts of poultry, slowly simmered.

The first two forms of the name derive from ali, ailes – wings and cuit, cuites – cooked. Variants are alycot and alycuit.^[1] The third form, ragout d'abattis, means giblet stew.^[2]

The dish is associated with the southern French region of Occitania: Larousse Gastronomique classifies the dish as Languedoc cuisine. It is also associated with the Aveyron department of the region,^[3] and other areas in the south-west of France.^[4]

The main ingredients are usually the heads, feet, wing tips, gizzards, and giblets of poultry – variously chicken, duck, geese or turkey.^[5][6] White wine, onions, tomatoes, garlic and diced bacon are included in most recipes, but there are variants: Elizabeth David gives a recipe in which the poultry content is confined to the giblets; salt port or gammon is added;^[7] and another authority includes cèpes and chestnuts.^[1] Oher recipes call variously for poultry stock, flour, carrots, turnips and various spices including cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.^[3][5]

The ingredients are gently simmered, usually for two to three hours. The finished dish is typically served with white haricot beans, potatoes, or rice.^[3][7]

• Claustres, Francine (1995). Connaître la cuisine landaise. Bordeaux: Éd. Sud-Ouest. ISBN 978-2-87-901197-4.
• Claustres, Francine (1998). Connaître la cuisine aveyronnaise. Bordeaux: Éd. Sud-Ouest. ISBN 978-2-87-901162-2.
• Claustres, Francine (2010). Connaître la cuisine des Pyrénées. Bordeaux: Éd. Sud-Ouest. ISBN 978-2-81-770008-3.
• David, Elizabeth (2008) [1960]. French Provincial Cooking. London: Folio Society. OCLC 809349711.
• Montagné, Prosper (1976). Larousse Gastronomique. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-02352-4. OCLC 1285641881.
• Roberts, Deborah (1990). French Country Living. Boston: Bulfinch Press. ISBN 978-0-82-121826-6.
• Schwabe, Calvin (1979). Unmentionable Cuisine. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia. ISBN 978-0-81-390811-3.
• Sharman, Fay (1989). A-Z gastronomique. London: Papermac. ISBN 978-0-33-349815-6.