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We seem to be on the cusp between winter and spring, and so I wanted to use some of my stored onions and garlic along with fresh celery and bell peppers from the market to celebrate and symbolize the transition of seasons. One dish that does this job admirably is Country Captain, a variation of chicken fricassee.

The recipe is believed to have been brought to Savannah, Ga., around 1800, by a sea captain who traded in East Indian spices. There are probably as many stories as to the recipe’s origins as there are versions of how to make it.

If it weren’t for President Franklin Roosevelt, the rest of the country might never have heard of Country Captain. During several stays in Warm Springs, Ga., to treat his polio, Roosevelt was served the dish by one of the area’s noted hostesses. He loved it so much that word got out, and soon cooks throughout America were making it.

This is one of my all-time favorite chicken dishes. It’s mildly flavored with curry and mace, and the vegetables make a delicious and rich-tasting sauce. Currants and curry powder are two ingredients that suggest a British colonial origin for the recipe.

You can use a cut up whole chicken or chicken parts for Country Captain. Some recipes say to poach a whole chicken in water; when tender, cool the chicken, pull the meat off the bones and discard the skin. My own preference is for chicken thighs because they’re juicy and are far more tasty than the ever-popular chicken breasts. I leave the bones in and the skins on for the best flavor. But the choice is up to you. If you decide to use boneless and skinless thighs, use twice as many as the recipe calls for.

Country Captain Chicken

You can prepare this at least 1 day ahead and refrigerate or freeze it. Flavors improve over time. Keeping the skin on the chicken keeps the flesh moist and adds a lot of flavor. You can remove the skin after cooking, if you wish. Feel free to double or triple the recipe for a party. You can brown the chicken in one large skillet in batches and cook the vegetables in batches, then bake the chicken and vegetables in a large covered baking dish. Be sure to have everything ready before you begin.

8 large chicken thighs with the bones in and the skin on (about 3 1/2 pounds total)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

3 large celery ribs, diced

1 large red and 1 large green bell pepper, cored and diced

2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled Roma tomatoes in tomato juice

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 cup currants

1 cup water or chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped parsley, preferably flat-leaf

1 lemon, cut in half crosswise

3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350-degree oven until golden brown

1 1/2 cups rice cooked according to package directions

Pat chicken pieces dry on paper towels and sprinkle salt and pepper generously on both sides. Put the flour into a plastic bag and add 2 or 3 chicken pieces. Close the bag and toss to coat chicken with a thin coating of flour. Remove chicken, shaking off excess flour, and coat remaining thighs in batches.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Put the chicken into the skillet skin side down and cook about 3 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Turn the chicken over with tongs and cook another 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain.

Pour out the cooking fat, leaving any browned bits in the pan. Add the olive oil and return the pan to medium-high heat. When hot, add the curry powder, thyme, mace, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds to release aromas. Add the celery, bell peppers, onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

While vegetables cook, put the tomatoes into a medium bowl and chop them into smallish pieces with a pastry blender. Stir the tomatoes, currants, water and parsley into the chicken pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Nestle the chicken into the vegetables skin side up, cover the pan and bake 45 minutes or until the chicken is very tender. Taste the vegetable sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon rice onto dinner plates and set 1 or 2 thighs onto the rice. Spoon a generous amount of sauce over the chicken, squeeze on a little lemon juice and sprinkle with toasted almonds.

• Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Greg Patent is a food writer and columnist for the Missoulian and Missoula.com magazine. He also co-hosts a weekly show about food with Jon Jackson on KUFM Sundays at 11:10 a.m. His new cookbook, “A Baker’s Odyssey,” has been nominated for a 2008 James Beard Award. Visit Patent’s Web site at www.gregpatent.com. You can write him at chefguymt@gregpatent.com.

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