Chicken Cacciatore : Rustic Hunters Stew

Yes, you may well be asking ... what does Cacciatore mean. Well it means 'hunter' in Italian and this rustic hunter's stew is flavoured with anchovies, celery and a whole head of garlic, it might just be on your menu plans soon!

Ingredients:

Serves Four
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain flour, to dust
4 chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks, skinned
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and halved
A few sprigs of rosemary
A few sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
5 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes, drained, rinsed and chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
250 ml warm chicken stock

Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper, then evenly dust the chicken pieces. Fry them in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and put to one side.
2. Turn the heat down a little, and add the remaining oil, garlic, herbs, carrot and celery, with a pinch of salt. Fry for at least 5 minutes, adding the anchovies after 3 minutes, until the veg is softened and slightly golden and the anchovies have melted in.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck bits. Return the meat to the pan and pour over the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 45 minutes, until the meat is falling off the bone.
4. Season to taste and serve with a green salad, spinach, or green beans.

Each serving provides:
2.8g carbohydrate 0.6g fibre 12.8g protein

Original idea can be seen here

Bring a touch of Italy to your dining table

and if you want to do it in food ... just use basil, mozzarella and tomatoes

as my grandson may say - how cool is that!

Buon Appetito

All the best Jan