Chicken cooked in beer - Pollo alla birra

I'm the first to admit that this does not look particularly appealing but you'll have to trust me. It's a fantastic dish, really easy and tastes delicious. It's a staple in our house.

The origins of the dish are slightly obscure but the general consensus is that it comes from Belgium. Be that as it may, it's a very common dish in northern Italy and this recipe comes from my father-in-law, Giuseppe who's been cooking it for years. 

Be careful with the beer you use. I used to make it with whatever I had to hand but some beers, particularly standard lagers, leave a decidedly bitter taste when cooked. The one that I've found works best is Leffe but some real ales work well too.

RECIPE - Serves 3-4

9 chicken pieces, thighs and drumsticks work well here

500 ml beer - read note above

Plain flour for dusting chicken

1 stick celery

1 carrot

1 onion

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Chop the onion, celery and carrot very finely (I usually just pulse them in a food processor). Then fry gently in a little oil for about 5 mins until softened. Remove the vegetables to a plate.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dust the chicken with flour, knocking off any excess.

Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the chicken until golden brown on all sides.

Put the vegetables back in the pan with the chicken. Pour in the beer (it won’t cover the chicken completely), put a lid on and cook gently for about 35 mins.

When the 35 mins are up, remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until the sauce has reduced. Check the seasoning.

Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over, a crisp green salad on the side and lots of crusty bread  for mopping up the sauce.

Chicken stuffed with goat's cheese and herbs

I dream of having a big kitchen, the kind where people can sit and chat, read the newspaper with a cup of coffee, lend a hand with the cooking without getting in the way... My kitchen is small. I'm not complaining (although it may sound like it) because it's perfectly formed and fulfils its function very well. It's just that when I have friends and family over for dinner I have two choices - I can either prepare everything in advance which allows me to take part in the conversation happening in the dining room or I can cook there and then which means that I miss out on everything else that's going on.

Needless to say, I usually prefer the first option, that of preparing most things in advance, thus maximising time spent with my guests. This chicken dish (the inspiration for which comes from an old Good Food magazine) fits the bill on many counts. Firstly, it can all be prepared ahead of time and simply put in the oven when needed. Secondly, the chicken is cooked on a bed of courgettes and tomatoes which means that you can dispense with a separate vegetable, leaving you with less to do in the kitchen and minimising the washing up. This method of cooking also ensures that the chicken stays nice and moist. Finally, and most importantly, it's delicious, with a great balance of flavours - crisp saltiness from the pancetta, creaminess from the cheese and mild sweetness from the vegetables.

The thyme and oregano used in this dish mean that it can be sent to one of my favourite challenges, Herbs on Saturday, created by Karen from the inspirational Lavender and Lovage and hosted this month by Jen at Blue Kitchen Bakes .

I'm also sending this over to Javelin Warrior's weekly challenge, Made with Love Mondays which encourages us all to cook from scratch and provides a fascinating, eclectic mix of recipes to try every week.

 

RECIPE - serves two

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
100g firm goat's cheese
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 slices of pancetta (or thinly sliced streaky bacon)
2 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
250g tomatoes, any kind, thinly sliced


Pre-heat oven to 190°C.

Slice the chicken breasts almost in half from one long side and open them out like a book. Cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin to  flatten them. Season on all sides. Put half the goat's cheese on each piece of chicken and sprinkle with some of the thyme leaves and oregano. Roll the chicken up to enclose the cheese, then wrap each one snugly in three slices of pancetta.

Lightly oil a shallow gratin dish, then arrange overlapping rows of courgettes and tomatoes over the base. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme sprigs. Place the chicken breasts on top.

Bake for 45 mins until the pancetta is crisp and golden and the courgettes are tender. Cut in half diagonally if you so wish and serve with new potatoes or good bread.

Pollo alla Cacciatora

This 'hunter-style' chicken dish originally comes from Tuscany but is popular all over Italy. As with any classic dish, every family has their own way of making it but the variations are usually minimal, an extra ingredient here, a different cooking method there. When I see this dish abroad, it sometimes seems to veer so far from the original that it is almost unrecognisable.

The recipe below is a standard one; if you wish, you can add some pancetta or maybe a few mushrooms to it. Just don't get too carried away.

RECIPE - serves 4

1 chicken, jointed (or 8 pieces)
1 onion
2 carrots
3 sticks celery
1 clove garlic
1 glass red wine
a few sprigs of rosemary
400g tin chopped tomatoes
olive oil
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Finely chop the onion, carrots, celery and garlic (or whizz together in a food processor for a few seconds). Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan (with lid) and add the vegetables. Cook over a low heat until soft, being careful not to let them brown. Remove to a plate.

Add a little more oil to the pan and brown the chicken pieces on all sides, over a high heat. When the pieces are golden brown, return the vegetables to the pan, add the rosemary and pour the wine in.

Let the wine bubble up for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and some salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down, cover with a lid and simmer over a medium heat for about 30-40 mins, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Give everything a gentle stir from time to time so that it doesn't burn on the bottom and add a little water if it seems to be getting too dry.

When the chicken is ready, sprinkle the parsley over and serve with mashed potatoes or soft polenta.

 

Chicken with capers and rosemary

White-wine vinegar is used here to marinate the chicken; this works with the capers to give a lovely tangy flavour to the dish. Cooking with vinegar is quite common throughout Italy and in France, 'poulet au vinaigre' is considered one of the classics. GL's nonno, from Puglia, carried on adding vinegar (or chillies) liberally to his food even in his twilight years, causing much consternation to his family as Italians seem to think that the elderly should only eat bland, insipid food.

I always empathised with nonno as I've loved the sharp taste of vinegar since I was a little girl, when I would even take sips direct from the bottle if no-one was around. If you don't share my love of the stuff however, don't worry - in this recipe it just adds a pleasing hint of tartness in the background rather than overwhelming acidity.


RECIPE

Serves 3-4

Approx 8 pieces chicken (in the photo I''ve used boneless thighs but I often use drumsticks too)
1 onion
1 clove garlic
3 sprigs rosemary
half a glass of white-wine vinegar
half a glass of dry white wine
1 tablespoon capers
extra virgin olive oil

Peel and slice the onion into rings and put them in a dish with the crushed garlic clove and a sprig of rosemary. Place the chicken on top, pour over the vinegar and leave in a cool place to marinate for about 30 mins.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan (with a lid), and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. When golden brown, pour in the wine, add the onions from the marinade and about half the vinegar and the rest of the rosemary. Cook partially covered over a medium heat for about 20 mins, turning the chicken halfway through.

Add the capers, salt and pepper and leave to cook uncovered for a further 10-15 mins, or until the chicken is cooked. If it looks as though it's getting too dry, add a little more wine, water would be fine too.

Serve the chicken on a plate with onions, capers and juices poured over.