Chicken & Mushroom Stew

Soaking a few porcini mushrooms to add to the chicken stew gives a stronger mushroom taste. Use the soaking liquid mixed with chicken broth for an even deeper flavor. This dish stands as a meal of its own, but leftovers are wonderful with polenta slices.

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 carrot cut on the diagonal
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 3 frozen cubes of sufreit (optional)
• 3-4 pound chicken cut in pieces
• 8 ounces Italian canned tomatoes
• 2 cloves
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh white mushrooms, thickly sliced
• Salt and freshly milled pepper to taste

METHOD

Soak porcini mushrooms in 3/4 cup warm water for 20 minutes.

Melt oil and butter in a large casserole. Put in onion, carrot and celery, and cook until softened. If using sufreit, place frozen cubes in pan now . When vegetables have softened, remove with slotted spoon and place on the side. Put in chicken pieces and brown on all sides. If chicken renders too much fat, remove pieces and pour off extra fat.

Return chicken to pan with reserved onion, carrot, celery, cloves, tomatoes and wine. Remove porcini from soaking liquid. Add to pan with 1/2 cup soaking liquid. Cook until tender, about 1 hour.

About 15 minutes before chicken is done, add white mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4- 6

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Jenny Cavanna for Caterina Bosselli

 

Cutting on the diagonal: A slanted cut exposes more of the vegetable for speedier cooking and better absorption of the mingled flavors in a stew.

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