This recipe is a Traditional Old World preparation. Yet, it is one of the most versatile recipes you could ever hope to work with. It's variations could almost be limitless. I will show you a few and then you can use your own imagination.

The first thing that places this particular recipe in the "supreme class," is it's combination of herbs and mushrooms. But, you be the judge.

• 2-2 1/2 Lb. Fresh fryer chickens. Alternately, you could use one 3 1/2 to 4 pound fryer.
• 4 Pieces, Dried mushrooms, imported. The ones that have a "woodsy-smokey" odor.
• 1/2 Cup hot water. [For soaking the mushrooms.]
• 1-14 ounce can whole tomatoes, whizzed.
• 2 Slices salt pork or bacon.
• 2 Tbs. Olive oil.
• 2 Tbs. Butter, unsalted.
• 1/2 Lb. Onion, [medium size] peeled and chopped.
• 2 Large garlic cloves, minced.
• 1 Tsp. Dried rosemary, crushed in a mortar and pestle.
• 1 1/2 Bay leaves, finely crumbled.
• 1/4 Tsp. Fresh ground black pepper.
• Salt to taste. [Salt pork or bacon may contain sufficient salt for the recipe. So taste as you go.]
• 3/4 Cup Dry white wine. Dry vermouth works great.

PREPARATION

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms. Place your hot water and rinsed mushrooms in a tight-lidded container to soak for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Mushrooms must be submerged in the water. I have a small screw-lid jar that I have saved from other ingredients for this purpose.



2. After the mushrooms have softened, drain and reserve the liquid. Chop mushrooms and reserve.



3. Cut your chicken(s) into six pieces. [I prefer to use whole chickens instead of the pre-cut ones. In a package of pre-cut chickens you could have parts from various size chickens which could alter your cooking times.] Rinse and dry chicken pieces. Place in large mixing bowl and sprinkle lightly with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, minced garlic, crumbled bay leaves and rosemary. Stir chicken around to try to coat all the pieces. Set aside.



4. Place a very large skillet or saute pan [I use a 13" saute pan.] on your largest stove burner, over high heat. When hot, add olive oil, salt pork or bacon and butter. Reduce heat to medium. Fry meat until cooked and remove. Add seasoned chicken pieces. Do not over-crowd pan. If your pan is not large enough to hold all the chicken pieces, you may have to use two pans or saute the chicken in batches.



5. Saute chicken pieces for about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes. When cooked, remove chicken from pan(s) and reserve. [Chicken should not be completely cooked at this time.] If using two pans, combine pan residues into one pan. Drain all but about two tablespoons of cooking media from the pan. Add soaked, drained and chopped mushrooms and onions. Saute until onions become transparent. [See notes for variations.]



6. Return chicken pieces to pan containing the onion-mushroom mixture. [You may crowd pan slightly or use two pans.] With pan(s) off flame, carefully add the white wine or vermouth, place pan on burner, turn heat to highest seting. Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover pan. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove lid.



7. Add reserved mushroom soaking liquid and whizzed tomatoes to pan. Return heat to high. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked. Taste and adjust seasonings.



8. When chicken has cooked, remove from pan and place on your serving platter. If you would like your sauce a little thicker, turn heat to high and boil rapidly for a minute or two.



9. This preparation has bold, complex flavors that would lend themselves to a nice full-bodied red wine.

• If you are a chicken liver lover, you can chop-up the livers and giblets that came with your chicken(s) and add them to your saute pan when you add the onions and reconstituted mushrooms. This will impart a very unique flavor.



• You can add about 4 ounces of thinly sliced white button mushrooms when you add the onion.



• To make this recipe into a bar-b-que style preparation; omit the can of whizzed tomatoes and add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped. [Canned tomatoes are fine.] This is really delicious.



• If you would like to stretch the recipe a bit, you can add a couple of Italian sausages that have been cooked and sliced, about 1/4" thick; when you add the chicken back to the pan. You might even want to add an additional 14 ounce can of tomatoes or replace the original one with a 28 ounce can.



• As you can see, the possibilities are limitless. To serve a large group, I would increase the tomatoes, add sausage, meatballs, pork or stew beef and bracciole. What a fantastic combination dish that makes. Really great for a buffet.