CHICKEN MARENGO

 CHICKEN MARENGO 

This manner of cooking chicken is supposed to have been invented by Napoleon's chef after the Battle of Marengo. Having run short of butter, he used oil instead ,which is now one of the essential ingredients of The Chicken Marengo, together with tomatoes and garlic. There are many ways of serving it these days, different garnishes having been added by various chefs, but the foundations remain the same and the following is the recipe that is used in most French households, although the restaurants elaborate.

1 jointed chicken 
3 tomatoes 
1 tbs tomato puree 
1 clove of garlic 
a little flour  
12 tbs soup stock,
 or 6 tbs white wine 
3 tbs of olive oil 
12 small mushrooms 
12 small pickled onions 
Salt and pepper  and coriander seeds

 Put the oil in a sauce pan and when hot add the pieces of chicken and cook to a golden brown on all sides .Add the tomatoes and the tomato puree. Sprinkle the joints with a little flour, stir well until the flour browns, add the stock and wine, the mushrooms and onions previously slightly browned in butter, season with salt and pepper, add the garlic clove. if not obtainable,- the commissary has excellent prepared garlic flavoring; and simmer the whole gently for 1 to 11/2 hours. When done, arrange the pieces of chicken on a hot dish, garnish with the mushroom,s and onions and croutons of fried bread and pour the sauce over them. Serve. 

THE RECIPE FOUND IN

GUAM RECORDER 1928

FRENCH CUISINIERE CLARE DE PRATZ

SUGGESTS TO COOK THE CHICKEN MARENGO THE SAME WAY AS THE VEAL MARENGO.

 Chicken Marengo (Poulet à la Marengo) 

There is a tale that at the time of the battle of Marengo, Napoleon's chef was unable to obtain butter or much else for dinner, so he sautéd a chicken in olive oil, added tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms and served it with apologies. But Napoleon enjoyed it and from that time the dish has been popular and has borne the name of the scene of its origin. 

 To prepare Chicken à la Marengo follow the directions given for Veal à la Marengo,cutting the chicken into pieces as for a fricassée ,

Veal Marengo ( Veau Marengo) 

For this dish you will need
Veal steak or cutlets of veal- 1/ 2 pounds 
Tomatoes - Roma 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes
Garlic I clove or more as you choose - up to 3 or 4.
Olive oil -2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
Flour for dredging and sauce - all purpose white wheat flour
Stock 1/2 cups 
Salt and pepper - up to 1 spoonfull- according to taste
Mushrooms I cup  of diced champignons de Paris

Cut the veal into six or seven pieces, according to the number of portions you wish to serve. Dredge each piece of the veau with flour and brown  it in the oil  with the chopped garlic in a frying pan- the cast iron skillet is the best. Remove the meat from the pan, add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir the roux until browned add the stock and make a rather thin brown sauce, cooking until smooth.

 In the bottom of a  deep baking dish greased with oil, lay  the diced tomatoes peeled and cut into thin slices.  and the browned veal  on the top, and pour in the brown sauce over it. Cover the pan with foil. and bake in a moderate oven for at least an hour and a half .During the last hour of cooking add the mushrooms.Serve in the dish in which it has cooked skimming off any superfluous fat which has come to the surface.  

 FRENCH  HOME COOKING 
BY CLAIRE DE PRATZ 

EDITED BY DAY MONROE

 INSTRUCTOR IN FOODS AND COOKERY TEACHERS COLLEGE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 

NEW YORK EP DUTTON & COMPANY 681 FIFTH AVENUE