ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MARCELA HAZAN'S RECIPES IS HOW SIMPLE THEY ARE; A HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS AND PRECISE TECHNIQUES. I CANNOT COUNT THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE MADE HER SPARERIBS TREVISONO, HER CARBONARA, HER CHICKEN WITH VINEGAR, HER FAMOUS TOMATO SAUCE WITH CANNED TOMATOES, A WHOLE ONION AND A HUGE CHUNK OF BUTTER. SO IMAGINE MY DELIGHT ON DISCOVERING A RECIPE I HADN'T NOTICED BEFORE, CHICKEN WITH ONIONS. IT WAS A BREEZE TO COOK AND TURNED OUT EVEN BETTER THAN IT LOOKED. IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME HOW MUCH ONIONS COOK DOWN AND HOW SWEET THEY TASTE WHEN THEY DO, ENHANCED IN MARCELA'S RECIPE WITH A SPLASH OF COGNAC.
PEEL AND TRIM THE ONIONS. SLICE THINLY.
HEAT ABOUT 4TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A LARGE CAST IRON PAN OR A DUTCH OVEN. ADD THE ONIONS. STIR SO THE ONIONS ARE COATED WITH THE OLIVE OIL. SALT.
COVER THE PAN WITH A LID AND REDUCE HEAT TO VERY LOW. COOK SLOWLY FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, TURNING THE ONIONS PERIODICALLY WITH TONGS. THE ONIONS WILL COLLAPSE AND BECOME ALMOST LIQUIDY. TURN OFF THE HEAT.
SPREAD THE FLOUR ON A DINNER PLATE. DRY THE CHICKEN PIECES DRY. HEAT ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF PEANUT OIL IN A SKILLET. WHEN IT'S HOT, DREDGE THE CHICKEN PIECES IN FLOUR, SHAKE OFF THE EXCESS AND LAY THEM SKIN SIDE DOWN IN THE SKILLET.
BROWN ABOUT 4 MINUTES ON EACH SIDE. SALT AND PEPPER.
HEAT THE ONIONS ON A MEDIUM LOW FLAME, STIRRING UNTIL THEY TURN A GOLDEN BROWN. STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF COGNAC OR WHATEVER SPIRIT YOU PREFER (I USED PLUM BRANDY).
ARRANGE THE CHICKEN PIECES ON TOP OF THE ONIONS, SKIN SIDE UP. COVER AND COOK ANOTHER 8 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE JUICES RUN CLEAR FROM THE CHICKEN WHEN PIERCED WITH A FORK.
ARRANGE CHICKEN AND ONIONS ON A WARM PLATTER AND SCATTER WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
PEEL AND TRIM THE ONIONS. SLICE THINLY.
HEAT ABOUT 4TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL IN A LARGE CAST IRON PAN OR A DUTCH OVEN. ADD THE ONIONS. STIR SO THE ONIONS ARE COATED WITH THE OLIVE OIL. SALT.
COVER THE PAN WITH A LID AND REDUCE HEAT TO VERY LOW. COOK SLOWLY FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, TURNING THE ONIONS PERIODICALLY WITH TONGS. THE ONIONS WILL COLLAPSE AND BECOME ALMOST LIQUIDY. TURN OFF THE HEAT.
SPREAD THE FLOUR ON A DINNER PLATE. DRY THE CHICKEN PIECES DRY. HEAT ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF PEANUT OIL IN A SKILLET. WHEN IT'S HOT, DREDGE THE CHICKEN PIECES IN FLOUR, SHAKE OFF THE EXCESS AND LAY THEM SKIN SIDE DOWN IN THE SKILLET.
BROWN ABOUT 4 MINUTES ON EACH SIDE. SALT AND PEPPER.
HEAT THE ONIONS ON A MEDIUM LOW FLAME, STIRRING UNTIL THEY TURN A GOLDEN BROWN. STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF COGNAC OR WHATEVER SPIRIT YOU PREFER (I USED PLUM BRANDY).
ARRANGE THE CHICKEN PIECES ON TOP OF THE ONIONS, SKIN SIDE UP. COVER AND COOK ANOTHER 8 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE JUICES RUN CLEAR FROM THE CHICKEN WHEN PIERCED WITH A FORK.
ARRANGE CHICKEN AND ONIONS ON A WARM PLATTER AND SCATTER WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY.
SERVES 4