When I was a lady of leisure (just last week) I would watch the Today Show just to see what they were cooking up (then wait for Peoples Court – which brought me such joy) cause if Al Roker said it was delicious (without having to fix his face – seriously – watch enough and you’ll know when that mess was nasty according to Al) then it was worthy of the TravelDiva’s “Cooking with Love – Chef Carla, 2011” efforts.
About a month ago, they were whipping up some Italian Dishes from Rao’s in NYC and they looked fabulous. I selected the Chicken Scarpariello to whip up tonight and it was FAB-U-LOUS! I even used my bowl of compliments. I have been throwing down lately.
The contrast of the vinegar, hot peppers, sweet peppers & more is just wonderful. A cornucopia of flavors to the palette. Try this one…you’ll love it. A whole meal in one pan…well you need to have a paella size pan to do this right, but sacrifices must be made.
Here’s the recipe (my adjustments for the size pan I’m using are in parenthesis) :
Chicken Scarpariello
Frank Pellegrino and Frank Pellegrino Jr. of Rao's Restaurant
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 pound sausage, a combination of hot and sweet, cut into bite-size pieces (1 pk of hot, 1 pk of sweet sausage approx 6 links in each pack)
2 2 1/2-pound chickens, cut into 12 small pieces, bone in (I use boneless breasts/thighs- 2pks of 4-5 in each))
2 large bell peppers, red, green or yellow, cored, seeded and cut, lengthwise, into 1/4-inch strips
1 large yellow onion, cut, lengthwise, into 1/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chicken broth (1 cup)
1/2 cup dry white wine (1cup)
1/2 cup halved Vinegared Hot Cherry Peppers (whole jar, approx 8-10oz jar)
1/2 cup Vinegared Sweet Bell Peppers (whole jar, approx 8-10oz jar, minimal liq)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (I just shake it out, I don’t measure)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Heat oil in large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté sausage for about 8 minutes until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan and set aside to drain. Reheat oil so that it is hot but not smoking, pat chicken dry, and sauté chicken for about 15 minutes or until it is almost cooked through.
2. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft or beginning to brown. Drain off all excess oil. Return sausage to pan.
3. Add wine and chicken stock to chicken, sausage, and vegetables and bring to a boil. Stir in hot and sweet vinegared peppers, vinegar, oregano and salt and pepper. Again, bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer slowly for about 10 minutes or until flavors have combined and sauce has reduced. Remove from heat and serve.
Note: You can, near the end of cooking, add 2 or 3 sliced boiled potatoes to this dish. Potatoes seem to have an affinity for the intense vinegar flavors, lustily absorbing the sauce.
Serving Size Serves 6 people
Bon Appetit
