Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [158]
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 sprig of fresh rosemary OR 1 teaspoon dried leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon peel with none of the white pith, cut into 6 thin julienne strips
1. Wash the chicken pieces in cold water, and pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
2. Choose a saute pan that can subsequently accommodate all the chicken pieces without overlapping. Put in the oil and butter, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the butter foam begins to subside, put in the chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken on both sides, then add the rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, turning the chicken pieces from time to time, then remove the breast and set aside.
3. Add the wine, let it bubble at a brisk simmer for about 20 seconds, then adjust the heat to cook at a very slow simmer, and put a lid on the pan slightly ajar. After 40 minutes return the breast to the pan. Cook for 10 minutes more at least, until the thighs of the chicken feel very tender when prodded with a fork, and the meat comes easily off the bone. While it’s cooking, check the liquid in the pot from time to time. If it becomes insufficient, replenish with 2 or 3 tablespoons water.
4. When the chicken is done, remove from heat and transfer the pieces to a warm serving platter, using a slotted spoon or spatula. Tip the pan and spoon off all but a little bit of the fat. Add the lemon juice and lemon peel, place the pan over medium-low heat, and use a wooden spoon to scrape loose cooking residues from the bottom and sides. Pour the pan juices over the chicken and serve at once.
Fricasseed Chicken with Egg and Lemon, Marches Style
LIKE THE LAMB CHOPS in this recipe, this chicken is cooked, then tossed with a raw mixture of beaten egg yolks and lemon juice, which the heat of the meat seizes on to form a clinging, satiny coat.
For 4 servings
A 3- to 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
3 tablespoons onion chopped very fine
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 cup Basic Homemade Meat Broth, prepared as directed, OR 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup water
2 egg yolks (see warning about salmonella poisoning)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Wash the chicken pieces in cold water, and pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
2. Choose a sauté pan that can later accommodate all the chicken pieces without overlapping. Put in the butter and chopped onion, turn the heat on to medium, and cook the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold. Turn the heat up a little, and put in the chicken, skin side down. Brown the pieces thoroughly on both sides.
3. Add salt and pepper, turn the chicken pieces over, then remove the breasts from the pan. Add all the broth, adjust heat to cook at a very gentle simmer, and cover the pan with the lid on well ajar. After 40 minutes, return the breast to the pan and cook for at least 10 minutes more, until the thighs feel very tender when prodded with a fork, and the meat comes easily off the bone. While it’s cooking, turn the chicken from time to time. If the broth should become insufficient, add 2 or 3 tablespoons water when needed. When the chicken is done, however, there should be no liquid left in the pan. If you find watery juices in the pan, uncover, turn the heat up to high, and boil them away, turning the chicken pieces frequently as you do so. Take the pan off heat, leaving the chicken in.
4. Put the egg yolks in a small bowl and beat them lightly with a fork or whisk while slowly adding the lemon juice. Pour the mixture over the chicken pieces, tossing to coat them well. Transfer the entire contents of the pan to a warm platter, and serve at once.
Grilled Chicken alla Diavola, Roman Style
IN ROME they call this the devil’s chicken because of the diabolical quantity of the crushed black peppercorns that are used. Actually, although it is indeed peppery, its most striking quality is its fragrance,