Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo takes its name from the battle of Marengo in 1800, when Napoleon defeated the Austrians. The original version, improvised on the battlefield by Napoleon's chef, was made with a chicken, tomatoes, eggs, crayfish, garlic, and a splash of brandy from the General's flash.

Chicken Marengo Recipe (Serves 4)

(Adapted from Mary Berry's Complete Cook Book)

Ingredients

• 30 g (1 oz) butter
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
• 6 shallots
• 30 g (1 oz) plain flour
• 300 ml (1/2 pint) dry white wine
• 150 ml (1/4 pint) chicken stock
• 1 x 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
• 250 g (8 oz) button mushrooms
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 parsley sprig
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and black pepper
• 250 g (8 oz) cooked peeled prawns
• chopped parsley to garnish

Method

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large flameproof casserole. when the butter is foaming, add the chicken pieces, and cook for 10-12 minutes until browned all over. Lift out and drain.
2. Add the shallots, and cook over a high heat for about 8 minutes until browned all over. Life out and drain on paper towels.
3. Spoon off all but 1 tbsp of the fat from the casserole. Add the flour, and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Lower the heat, and blend in the wine and stock, stirring until well combined. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, tomato puree, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Return the shallots and chicken to the casserole, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 180C (350F) for 1 hour or until the chicken is almost tender. Stir in the prawns, and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley and serve at once.