Chicken cacciatore: This is chicken cooked “the hunter’s way” – which grants a certain amount of culinary licence, although Italians might not agree. A rib-sticking meal that takes minimal preparation and then cooks gently in the oven until the sauce becomes rich and the chicken, tender. Best made with chicken on the bone which cooked low and slow delivers a deep flavour.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Flour, to dust
Salt and pepper
4 chicken legs, divided into thighs and drumsticks
1 knob butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole garlic heads
1 red pepper
1 stick celery
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
75ml white wine
250ml chicken stock
100g tinned plum tomatoes in juice, roughly chopped
METHOD
Flour the chicken. Cover a small plate with flour and season generously. Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based casserole (for which you have a lid) on a medium-high heat. Roll the chicken in flour to coat.
Fry the chicken in batches, until nicely browned all over, then remove from the pan and set aside.
While the chicken is cooking, cut the garlic heads in half horizontally, and, the pepper and celery into fairly fine dice.
Put the diced vegetables, halved garlic heads (skin and all) and rosemary in the casserole, turn down the heat slightly and fry, stirring regularly, for a few minutes, until beginning to soften and colour; add a little more oil if the veg looks likely to catch and burn.
Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Turn the heat back up a little, pour in the wine, then scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any crusty bits of flour. Bring to a simmer, then leave to bubble away until well reduced – there should be only a spoonful or two left.
Stir in the stock and tomatoes, and bring up to a simmer; if using whole canned tomatoes, roughly mash them with a fork.
Put the chicken back in the pan, pushing the pieces down into the sauce. Once the sauce is bubbling away again, cover tightly, turn down the heat and leave to cook quietly for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is falling from the bone.
Reduce the sauce, take out the meat, cover to keep warm, then turn up the heat and leave the sauce to bubble away until thickened. Season to taste.
Serve on polenta, mash or rice, and steamed vegetables
Original recipe Felicity Cloak writing in the Guardian
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