Tradition has it that Chicken Cacciatore was made to cheer up the unlucky hunter when he came home empty-handed. (Cacciatore is the Italian for hunter.) Well, not exactly empty-handed because sometimes he’d spot some wild mushrooms under a tree whilst having a rest and cussing his hound.
I served this on wooden trenchers over polenta, but it goes just as well with rice, potatoes, or just a chunk of crusty bread.
Chicken Cacciatore:
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 handful of dried porcini
- 1 whole chicken
- 1/2 glass Marsala
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tbsp passata
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Put the dried porcini in a bowl and cover amply with boiling water. Leave to steep for at least half an hour. Strain, but reserve the juice.
- Cut the chicken into 6-8 portions.
- Put the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan, add the chopped onion, celery and carrots and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the strained porcini and cook for another 2 mins.
- Add the chicken pieces.
- When the chicken begins to brown add half a glass of Marsala (or a full glass of dry white wine).
- Simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce the alcohol.
- Add the stock and the juice from the dried porcini.
- Add the tomatoes and a bay leaf a good twist of black pepper and a pich of coarse sea salt.
- Turn down the heat and simmer gently for about an hour, or until chicken is cooked.
We don’t have a hunter in the family and are still novices at foraging for wild mushrooms. This recipe uses dried porcini. The mushrooms (either dried or fresh) are optional, but they do give the dish an earthier taste and a bit of depth.
The black jewels in the photo are cured olives. Again optional. If using, add 15 mins before the end of cooking.
I’d like to take this dish to the
Festa Italiana
held by Maryann over at
Finding La Dolce Vita
and Marie from
Proud Italian Cook.
I’ll also be taking along a bottle of the local Rosso Piceno.
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