Chicken Cacciatore
One of My favorite dishes to make, because it’s got everything, and is so messy!!! It’s a dish I like to cook because the longer it’s in the oven, the better it gets, and it’s best with large groups of people and some red wine; it’s a meal all its own, you really don’t need sides. I decided to cook this for Sunny last night, and we sat out on the patio under the stars (it has been really unseasonably warm here the past few days, and we talked for hours, about our hopes and fears with the baby, what our plans are, and a lot of other things.
Step 1
2 ea breast chicken, with ribs (or 1 whole chicken, cut in half)
2 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp Italian herb mix
1/4 cup EVOO
Rub chicken with oil, season with salt/pepper, dry herb mix, roast at 350 for 15 minutes
Step 2
1/4 ea lg yellow onion
6 clove garlic, whole peeled
1/4 ea Bell pepper
4 ea mushrooms
1 sprig Rosemary
1 tbsp oregano, fresh
2 cups marinara (I like Barilla’s tomato/basil)
1 tbsp EVOO
1 cup white wine (I like dry and crisp)
on med-high, Heat pan with oil, add garlic, bells and onion to saute. When the onions soften and begin to turn transparent, add mushrooms and herbs. When mushrooms are cooked through, add white wine to deglaze, then add marinara. after chicken has baked for 15 minutes, pour sauce over chicken; continue baking at 325. It will be ready after another ten minutes, but you can turn down to warm and let it cook for up to 4 hours.
Resourcefulness
After spending today cleaning up my yard and gardening, I am astounded about the little things in life we waste. I forget that spent coffee grounds are excellent fertilizer for rose bushes, that much of our food is compostible, and that that old loaf of sourdough bread has immense value: it makes an incredible breading, just throw it in the blender, and you have breadcrumbs!!!
So I made dinner using an old Baguette I had… Sunny wanted to throw it out, but I insisted on making a miracle meal… so I broke up the loaf, tossed the crumbs into the blender, then mixed in some salt, pepper, dry oregano and a little bit of my chili spice. I cut up some chicken breast, coated it w/flour; beat an egg with grated parmesan, put the chicken in it then, spreading the bread crumbs on a tray, dredged the egg-battered chicken into the bread crumb mixture. Heat a saute pan, coat the bottom with canola and wait until the oil’s shimmering. Then cook until golden on each side. Drain off oil, deglaze with white wine and add a pat of butter for a nice sauce. Keep warm in oven while cooking sides.
I use the remnants of the egg to make “Carbonara.” First, get some linguini or Fettuccini started. Saute some garlic with onion (and proscuitto or pancetta if you have it) and red chili flakes. Then add your vegetable of choice. Today I used heirloom tomatoes and basil, though I have used zuccini, broccoli, and asparagus (precooked). Deglaze the veggies with white wine, toss in the noodle and scrape in the egg. I use one egg per serving. As you stir, add black pepper and parmesan. It’s a two in one side, and often is very pretty on the plate (I have to remember the aesthetic as a cook.)
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