The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (23 page)

•••••

The city of Marengo, in the northwest Italian province of Piedmont, is south of Turin. It was at Marengo that Napoleon defeated the Austrians in June 1800, in a battle that he regarded as the most brilliant of his career. Napoleon had led his army in a march across the Alps, through the Saint Bernard Pass, into the Po Valley. His army clashed with the Austrians at Marengo on June 14, 1800. Napoleon’s troops would have been defeated had reinforcements not arrived. Napoleon pursued his enemy with such vigor that he left the commissary—but not his cook, Dunand—far behind.

Napoleon, as was his habit, had not eaten before the battle and was certain to be famished. When he called for a meal, he demanded immediate service (and bolted it down in a few minutes when he got it). Dunand was desperate. Foragers were sent out and turned up a meager booty—a scrawny chicken, some tomatoes, a few eggs, a few crayfish, a little garlic, and a skillet.

Dunand was without his cooking utensils. They had been unable to find butter, but had managed to get some olive oil. Dunand cut up the chicken with a saber and fried it in oil. Next he made a sauce with crushed garlic and water, which he had made more palatable with a little Cognac filched from Napoleon’s own canteen. Then he fried the eggs in olive oil and placed them on top of some emergency-ration bread supplied by one of the soldiers. They became the garnish along with the crayfish, which he also fried in oil. A measure of Dunand’s desperation was the unholy combination of chicken and crayfish; he must really have felt that all the food he could scrape together would be barely enough.

Napoleon found the dish excellent and ordered that Chicken Marengo be served after every battle. On the next occasion Dunand tried to improve the dish by substituting white wine for water, adding mushrooms, and leaving out the crayfish. Napoleon noted their disappearance and demanded that they be restored to the dish, but not for gastronomic reasons. Napoleon was highly superstitious and chicken with crayfish was associated in his mind with victory.

Today, French cooks leave out the crayfish, but in the Piedmont, restaurants abide by the tradition of including crayfish for historical reasons. Sometimes they add what Dunand’s foragers might have found in the area, but did not—white truffles.

Some sources claim Pakistan is the originator of this classic rice dish. Others credit northern India, and still others say that it was first created in South Africa. So it’s not surprising that there are many different recipes for this richly spiced preparation. My version blends Indian influence with South Africans’ love for chicken.

•••••

1 chicken (3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces

Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2 teaspoons hot water

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves

1 piece fresh ginger, about 2 inches thick and 2 inches long

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¹
/
₂
teaspoon ground turmeric

¹
/
₂
teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed, divided

1 cup plain yogurt

1 can (4 ounces) green chiles, drained

1 can (14
¹
/
₂
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice

1 cup dried lentils

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 cinnamon stick

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup long-grain rice

Chopped fresh parsley or mint for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the chicken pieces, pat dry with paper towels, and put in a large bowl.
   
2. In a blender, combine the saffron threads, garlic, mint leaves, ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon,
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   teaspoon of the cardamom seeds, the yogurt, green chiles, and tomatoes with their juice. Process briefly, so the marinade has a little texture and is not quite smooth. Pour over the chicken and stir to coat all the pieces evenly. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
   
3. Combine the lentils, water, salt, cinnamon stick, and remaining
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   teaspoon cardamom seeds in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.
   
4. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, sauté the onions in the vegetable oil for about 7 minutes over medium heat until tender.
   
5. Transfer the sautéed onions to the bottom of a 3-quart casserole. Add the lentils and their simmering liquid and the rice and stir to mix. Arrange chicken pieces over the top and pour the marinade over all.
   
6. Cover the casserole and bake for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve directly from the dish.
   

When garlic is cooked, it melts down to a sweet, less pungent paste, which adds a delicious, rich flavor to the whole dish. If everybody partakes of it, nobody has to worry about “garlic breath.”

•••••

1 chicken (3 to 3
¹
/
₂
pounds), cut up

40 cloves garlic, peeled

³
/
₄
cup dry white wine

¹
/
₄
cup olive oil

4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¹
/
₂
cup minced fresh parsley

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon freshly ground pepper

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the chicken pieces close together in a single layer in a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Distribute the garlic cloves over the chicken.
   
2. Drizzle with the wine and olive oil. Distribute the celery on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with the basil, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
   
3. Cover with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   

This is comfort food for a chilly evening. You just throw all the ingredients into the casserole—no browning is required first. And it tastes even better the next day.

•••••

1 chicken (3 to 3
¹
/
₂
pounds)

¹
/
₄
cup all-purpose flour

1 large onion, thinly sliced

¹
/
₄
cup raisins

2 tablespoons chopped green onions (white and green parts)

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons curry powder

¹
/
₂
teaspoon salt

¹
/
₂
teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into
¹
/
₂
-inch pieces

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into
¹
/
₂
-inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (14
¹
/
₂
ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice

3 cups hot cooked rice, for serving

¹
/
₄
cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish (see
Toasting Almonds
)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. Cut the chicken into 6 serving pieces. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the skin and visible fat from the chicken pieces. Rub with the flour and place in a heavy 4-quart casserole with a tight-fitting lid.
   
3. Add the onion, raisins, green onion, curry powder, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes, red and green bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes with their juice.
   
4. Cover and bake 2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot over rice. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, and sprinkle with almonds and parsley.
   

•••••

NOTE:
To toast the almonds, spread them out on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Watch carefully so they do not burn.

This is an adaptation of coq au vin. An old classic perhaps quite overlooked today, coq au vin is probably the most famous of all French chicken dishes. Although the recipe might appear involved, there are periods of unattended cooking as the chicken simmers in wine. The saving grace of this recipe is that it is even better when made a day ahead, so it’s a great choice for a casual dinner party. I like to use a dry white wine rather than the traditional red.

•••••

1 chicken (3 to 3
¹
/
₂
pounds), cut up

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 cups dry white wine

3 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, peeled

12
small white onions
, peeled and simmered until tender

¹
/
₂
pound mushrooms, stemmed

Cooked baby potatoes, rice, or noodles for serving

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the legs and thighs apart. Rub the chicken parts with flour and set aside.
   
2. Melt 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven. Add the yellow onion and sauté for 3 minutes over medium heat until translucent. Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, and brown on all sides, removing the browned pieces to a plate as they are done.
   
3. When all the pieces are browned, return them to the casserole. Add the wine and broth. Add the bay leaf, parsley,
   marjoram, thyme, and garlic cloves. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf and parsley sprig.
   
4. While the chicken cooks, melt the remaining 1
   ¹
   /
   ₂
   tablespoons butter in a skillet. Add the small white onions and mushrooms and cook over high heat for 4 or 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add to the casserole.
   
5. Drain off the excess liquid from the casserole into the skillet; bring to a boil and boil until reduced by half. Pour the reduced juices over the chicken and serve with cooked baby potatoes, rice, or noodles.
   

•••••

NOTE:
Small whole onions are available frozen and are a great time-saver. (They are also called pearl onions.) But, for the freshest and best flavor, buy them in the produce department of your market. Trim them and cut an X in the bottom of each one. Drop them into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and peel. Return to the pan, add about
¹
/
₂
inch of water, and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions are tender.

There is a great combination of flavors here. Garam masala, a blend of dry-roasted ground spices from India, adds complexity but not heat to this casserole. If you don’t have any, you can substitute curry powder. The couscous makes a tender base for the chicken as it bakes.

•••••

1 cup whole-wheat couscous

2 cups chicken broth,
homemade
or prepared

1 chicken (3 to 3
¹
/
₂
pounds), quartered

Salt

Pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder

¹
/
₂
cup chopped dried apricots

¹
/
₂
cup raisins

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the couscous in the bottom of a deep, heavy 3- to 4-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth over it and set aside.
   
2. Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the visible fat and the skin, if desired. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
   
3. Place a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes per side. Place on top of the couscous as the pieces are browned.
   
4. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, and garam masala to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the spices are aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the casserole. Add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth, the apricots, raisins, orange zest, and ginger to the casserole.
   
5. Cover tightly and bake for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro.