ChristinaM:
Here is the recipe as sent after I asked for it:
Chicken Cacciatore (with Haigwood variations)
See also Pollo alla cacciatore in The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan (309-310).
1 or 2 red peppers, roasted, peeled and sliced into thin strips
8 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
8 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
6 T olive oil
1 c. all-purpose flour spread on a dinner plate or waxed paper
1 ½ cups dry white or red wine
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, halved or quartered, then chopped
1 stalk celery, halved or quartered, then chopped
1 clove garlic
1 can Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with their juice (if the tomatoes are packed with basil, then remove the basil before adding them to the pan)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper (4 to 6 twists of the mill)
Roast the red peppers under the broiler, turning occasionally until black on all sides. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel and slice into thin strips, carefully removing all seeds.
Choose a skillet large enough to hold all of the chicken without much crowding. Heat the oil in the skillet over moderately high heat. Turn the chicken pieces in the flour, coating both sides, and shaking off all excess. Brown them in the pan on both sides, and put them on a large platter as they are done.
When all are done and have been removed from the pan, turn the heat to high, add the wine, and boil rapidly until it is reduced by half, scraping and loosening any cooking residue in the pan. Lower the heat to medium, add the sliced onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring two or three times. Add the chicken, roasted red peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, chopped tomatoes with juice, salt and pepper. Adjust to a slow simmer and cover, cooking until the chicken is done through and tender, about 30 minutes. Turn and baste the chicken a few times as it cooks. Serves a dinner party of eight people, with plenty leftover for more than one dinner for two.
This is best if cooked a day or two before you plan to serve it. I generally refrigerate it in the same pan in which it was cooked, then slowly re-heat and serve it in that same pan. But I’ve also put the meat on a platter with a bit of the sauce drizzled over, passing the rest of the sauce on the side. Note: although it is less authentically “rustic” to use boneless and skinless thighs, I prefer that guests don’t have to struggle with boney pieces, such as wings, etc., and also that I can skip the step of skimming off all the fat from the skin. However, some might argue that the skin and bones add richer flavor.
