CHICKEN AND SMOKE – Recipe by Piero Benigni – This recipe of my own gives you a dish of unique taste where meat, mushrooms and smoked bacon combine in an unexpected and conquering final result. It’s a great idea when you have guests, who will appreciate and remember it for a long time. Can be easily made in one hour and a half.
Ingredients for 2-3 people
- 800 gchicken (28 oz)
- 170 gmushrooms (6 oz)
- 70 gbacon (smoked, 2 1/2 oz)
- 3 spoonstomato sauce (40 g (1 1/2 oz))
- 250 mldry white wine (one glass (8 1/2 fl oz))
- 1 clovegarlic
- 4 spoonsolive oil
- 1 sprigparsley
- flour (as needed)
- black pepper (at taste)
- salt (at taste)
Tools for chicken and smoke
- Cooker
- Pan 12″ with lid
- Pan 8″ for mushrooms
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
- Colander
- Scale
Preparation
Getting ready and sealing the chicken
Cut chicken into small-to-medium pieces, remove all visible fat. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a good 30 cm (12”) non-stick skillet, heat up, add chicken pieces. Brown for several minutes at all sides until spotted brown. Put everything in a colander and let all grease drain.
In the meanwhile wash and cut mushrooms. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan, add chopped garlic, brown until light golden. Add mushrooms, chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons water. Add some salt and cook over a medium flame until just light brown. Don’t overcook! Turn off flame and reserve.
Cooking this Chicken and smoke
Return chicken into pan, flour it at all sides, add some salt and pepper. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil, heat up. Pour wine, cover almost completely and start cooking over a gentle flame, with the gravy just simmering. Every now and then stir, turn the pieces, wet them with the gravy and continue with the pan almost completely covered. If the gravy dries too much, wet with hot water. After 15 minutes add tomato sauce, stir and carry on. After 15 more minutes add chopped smoked bacon. Continue in the same way, stir and turn often, keep gravy fluid by adding a little water when needed. Cooking time is around one hour from beginning, with meat really fork-tender. Ten minutes before the end add mushrooms with their gravy. Stir and let tastes and aromas combine. Check and adjust seasoning. Make gravy abundant and fluid enough to be poured on pieces before serving. The dish should be served warm with a crispy green salad aside. It can be stored for 2 days in the fridge or frozen, with a 3 months shelf life.