Country Captain

The Little White House, as it was dubbed, was
Franklin Roosevelt's family getaway in Warm
Springs, Georgia. It was in Warm Springs that
he had his first taste of Country Captain.

By the early 19th century, seaports along the Atlantic coast were an important part of international trade routes. That was how exotic spices arrived in this country from Asia—and with them, often, exotic recipes to match.

One such recipe was for a simple curried dish called Country Captain. According to the author of Miss Leslie's New Cookery Book (Philadelphia, 1857), the dish was named for a "captain of the native troops [in India, where they are] called generally the country troops." According to another theory (and there are many), a British officer who had once been stationed in India introduced the dish to the city of Savannah, Georgia, in exchange for a night's lodging.

Regardless of its origins, Country Captain was enthusiastically adopted by Southern cooks, who soon converted it to something distinctly American. Early published versions were simply for boiled chicken sautéed with curry spices. But by the early 20th century, the dish had evolved into a much more elaborate affair, often with the addition of bacon, tomatoes, bell peppers, currants, and slivered almonds.

It was the modern version of Country Captain that was served to Franklin Delano Roosevelt on one of his visits to Warm Springs, Georgia. Roosevelt had first come to the town in the 1920s in hopes of finding treatment for his polio-related paralysis, and in 1932 he built a house there. Sometime in the 1940s, President Roosevelt was introduced to the dish by Mrs. William L. Bullard, the wife of a prominent local doctor. The president's praise brought Country Captain to national attention and gave it permanent status as a Southern classic.

Country Captain

Makes 8 servings

1 whole chicken (4 pounds)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 black peppercorns
3 quarts water
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
2 Vidalia onions (10 ounces each), chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3 cups diced plum tomatoes (11/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dried currants or chopped raisins
2 cups rice, preferably basmati
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. In a stockpot, combine the chicken, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and the peppercorns. Add the water, cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook at a simmer until the drumsticks easily pull away from the meat, about 1 hour.
2. Reserve the broth. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull off the meat and discard the skin and bones. Strain the broth (you'll need 5 cups of the broth, so refrigerate or freeze the remainder).
3. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, curry powder, and thyme and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook until the onions and peppers are softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, black pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.
5. Chop the chicken and add to the pot along with the currants. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package directions, using the chicken broth in place of the water called for.
7. Serve the curry on a bed of rice. Sprinkle with the almonds and parsley.

Tropical Country Captain: Omit the thyme and currants. Use 5 teaspoons curry powder. Stir in 1 mango, diced, at the end. Use cashews instead of almonds, and cilantro instead of parsley.

[This article first appeared in the December/January 2009 issue of Hallmark Magazine.]