MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH CHICKEN WITH VINEGAR WAS BY WAY OF MARCELLA HAZAN. I'D NEVER USED ANCHOVIES IN ANYTHING BUT A CAESAR SALD AND IT AMAZED ME HOW UNDETECTABLE THEY WERE IN THE FINISHED DISH, MERELY SERVING TO ENHANCE THE FLAVOR WITH A RICH UMAMI, BEFORE THAT WORD WAS COINED IN WESTERN COOKING. THIS BECAME ONE OF MY GO-TO DISHES. NO ONE EVER GUESSED IT CONTAINED ANCHOVIES.
LAST WEEK, I DECIDED TO EXPERIMENT -- USING SOMEWHAT THE SAME INGREDIENTS, BUT HOPING FOR A SUBTLER FLAVOR. SO I SKIPPED DREDGING THE CHICKEN IN FLOUR BEFORE BROWNING, SUBSTITUTED EQUAL PARTS WHITE WINE AND BANYULS VINEGAR, WHICH IS SUBTLER THAN RED WINE VINEGAR BUT MORE ASSERTIVE THAN WHITE. I INCLUDED THYME WHERE THERE WAS ONLY ROSEMARY. I HAD A BOX OF CIPOLLINI ON HAND, SO IN THEY WENT AFTER BROWNING THEM BRIEFLY IN A SEPARATE PAN. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THIS NEW VERSION OF AN OLD DISH. I HOPE YOU WILL BE TOO.
BRING A LARGE SAUCEPAN WITH WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE OFF A SMALL PORTION OF THE ROOT AND STEM ENDS OF THE ONIONS. DUMP INTO THE BOILING WATER, COVER AND BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE. DRAIN AND DUMP INTO A SINKFULL OF COLD WATER.
SQUEEZE THE ONIONS FROM THEIR SKINS AND RESERVE.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC. STRIP THE LEAVES OFF THE ROSEMARY AND THYME BRANCHES. CHOP TOGETHER WITH THE ANCHOVIES AND GARLIC.
WHEN THE CHICKEN IS BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE. POUR OFF THE FAT. REDUCE HEAT TO LOW. ADD 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
STIR IN THE GARLIC/ANCHOVY/HERB MIXTURE. AS SOON AS YOU SMELL THE GARLIC, POUR IN 1⁄2 CUP OF WHITE WINE. STIR WITH A WOODEN SPOON, SCRAPING UP THE BROWNED BITS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.
RETURN THE CHICKEN LEGS TO THE PAN, OVERLAPPING IF NECESSARY SO THEY ARE ARRANGED IN ONE LAYER. POUR IN 1⁄2 CUP OF BANYULS VINEGAR. PLACE IN THE OVEN, PARTIALLY COVERED.
HEAT A FRYING PAN ON TOP OF THE STOVE. ADD 2 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL AND 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER. WHEN THE BUTTER RUNS CLEAR, DRY THE ONIONS IN DISH TOWEL AND ADD TO THE
PAN. SALT AND PEPPER. SPRINKLE WITH 1 TSP OF SUGAR. SHAKE THE PAN, BROWNING THE ONIONS LIGHTLY ON ALL SIDES. ADD TO THE PAN WITH THE CHICKEN.
BAKE THE CHICKEN FOR 12-15 MINUTES. IF THE LIQUID EVAPORATES, ADD A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER. CHICKEN IS DONE WHEN THE LIQUID FROM THE THIGH RUNS CLEAR WHEN PIERCED WITH A SMALL KNIFE OR FORK.
ARRANGE THE CHICKEN OF A WARM SERVING PLATTER. SCATTER WITH PARSLEY LEAVES.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
Directions
BRING A LARGE SAUCEPAN WITH WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE OFF A SMALL PORTION OF THE ROOT AND STEM ENDS OF THE ONIONS. DUMP INTO THE BOILING WATER, COVER AND BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE. DRAIN AND DUMP INTO A SINKFULL OF COLD WATER.
SQUEEZE THE ONIONS FROM THEIR SKINS AND RESERVE.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC. STRIP THE LEAVES OFF THE ROSEMARY AND THYME BRANCHES. CHOP TOGETHER WITH THE ANCHOVIES AND GARLIC.
WHEN THE CHICKEN IS BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE. POUR OFF THE FAT. REDUCE HEAT TO LOW. ADD 2 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL.
STIR IN THE GARLIC/ANCHOVY/HERB MIXTURE. AS SOON AS YOU SMELL THE GARLIC, POUR IN 1⁄2 CUP OF WHITE WINE. STIR WITH A WOODEN SPOON, SCRAPING UP THE BROWNED BITS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.
RETURN THE CHICKEN LEGS TO THE PAN, OVERLAPPING IF NECESSARY SO THEY ARE ARRANGED IN ONE LAYER. POUR IN 1⁄2 CUP OF BANYULS VINEGAR. PLACE IN THE OVEN, PARTIALLY COVERED.
HEAT A FRYING PAN ON TOP OF THE STOVE. ADD 2 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL AND 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER. WHEN THE BUTTER RUNS CLEAR, DRY THE ONIONS IN DISH TOWEL AND ADD TO THE
PAN. SALT AND PEPPER. SPRINKLE WITH 1 TSP OF SUGAR. SHAKE THE PAN, BROWNING THE ONIONS LIGHTLY ON ALL SIDES. ADD TO THE PAN WITH THE CHICKEN.
BAKE THE CHICKEN FOR 12-15 MINUTES. IF THE LIQUID EVAPORATES, ADD A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER. CHICKEN IS DONE WHEN THE LIQUID FROM THE THIGH RUNS CLEAR WHEN PIERCED WITH A SMALL KNIFE OR FORK.
ARRANGE THE CHICKEN OF A WARM SERVING PLATTER. SCATTER WITH PARSLEY LEAVES.
SERVES 4-6
Notes
