Rooster Cacciatore, “Hunter’s Stew” or Pollo Cacciatore in Italian, is a hearty, rustic stew made with rooster and greens simmered in a tomato sauce wealthy with wine and herbs. Easy, cosy, downright tasty home made consolation meals!
Rooster cacciatore – an Italian rooster stew
I’ve a mushy spot for rooster stews (proof right here and right here and right here) since you get all of the stewy-goodness that takes hours with beef stew in below an hour. As a result of, thanks rooster, you prepare dinner quick and we don’t have to take you to fall-apart-goodness to be juicy perfection!
At this time’s rooster stew is Rooster Cacciatore. “Cacciatore” means “hunter” in Italian and in cooking it generally refers to a stewy-type meal made with tomatoes, onion, herbs and normally pink wine by which a protein is braised, sometimes rooster and rabbit, although I’ve additionally seen lamb and vegetarian variations.
Cacciatore is a type of meals the place there are not any guidelines or one technique to make it, which implies there are numerous regional varieties and household recipes throughout Italy and the world.
And right this moment, I’m sharing my model which, in exterior of Italy (actually in Australia) can be thought-about a reasonably basic model made with standard selections together with rooster with onions, mushrooms and capsicum (bell peppers).
The tomato based mostly stew sauce is flavoured with pink wine, rosemary, bay leaves and dried oregano, in addition to the flavours from the rooster, greens and entire olives (don’t skip this!). It’s all simmered collectively for half-hour which is sufficient time for the flavours to meld collectively and for the rooster to be cooked by means of to juicy perfection, however a lot sooner to make than a gradual cooked beef stew!
Elements in Rooster Cacciatore
Right here’s what it is advisable to make this Rooster Cacciatore.
Greatest rooster for Rooster Cacciatore
As a result of the sauce must be simmered for half-hour to permit it to develop flavour and thicken, we want a minimize of rooster that may maintain as much as that simmer time. Bone in thighs and drumsticks are the reply! Bonus: Juicier, tastier and cheaper than boneless rooster breast. 🙂
Mixture of thighs and drumsticks – I like to make use of a mixture of thighs and drumsticks, however you should use only one or the opposite. Use as many as you’ll be able to match within the pan, making an allowance for they are going to shrink a bit as they prepare dinner (I exploit 4 of every, round 1.6kg / 3lb in complete). This can feed 4 adults with hearty appetites (one thigh and one drumstick every), or 6 smaller servings (both 1 thigh or 2 drumsticks per individual).
Boneless thighs or breast – Nonetheless, in the event you want or solely have boneless thighs or breast, I’ve popped instructions within the recipe notes for how you can alter the recipe (simply add them again into the sauce in the direction of the top of the simmer time in order that they don’t overcook).
Greens and herbs
Bugger! I forgot dried oregano within the photograph. 🙂
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Mushrooms – I simply use common white / button mushrooms. Be at liberty to make use of different varieties.
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Capsicum (bell peppers) – This imparts a definite flavour into the sauce which I really like and affiliate with the “cacciatore” flavour. So I all the time use capsicum!
My brother prefers fennel which could be very on theme, being a vegetable extensively utilized in conventional Italian cooking. He additionally threw out the assertion “capsicum is soooo pedestrian, fennel makes it extra fascinating!”. The entire RecipeTin Household could be very opinionated about meals! 😂 Each fennel and capsicum are beautiful on this dish. You select! There is no such thing as a proper reply.
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Bay leaves – I like to make use of contemporary as a result of I’ve a plant (glorious one to develop in a pot, laborious to by accident kill). Nonetheless, dried will work positive too.
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Rosemary – Utilizing sprigs of contemporary rosemary kind of “perfumes” the sauce in a manner that dried rosemary won’t. So actually attempt to use contemporary in the event you can, although it may be substituted with dried rosemary.
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Dried oregano – By chance omitted of the photograph! I want to make use of dried quite than contemporary as a result of it has an earthier flavour that I believe works higher for this dish.
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Onion and garlic – Important flavour base for the sauce!
Cacciatore sauce components
As talked about above, anchovies are the “secret ingredient” that add depth of flavour into this tomato based mostly sauce with out making it style fishy in any respect. I doubt even somebody with a extremely refined palette would know it’s in there. However, in the event you’re actually anti-anchovies, you should use fish sauce as a substitute (related savouriness) or boring ole’ salt!
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Anchovies – Use the anchovies in oil that is available in jars and cans. The anchovies are gray and salty. Don’t use the white anchovies in a vinegary oil which are costlier. These are made for popping straight into your mouth quite than cooking with! I put them on charcuterie boards.
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Purple wine – Wine is used to flavour the sauce however as soon as cooked, it received’t style winey. I like to make use of pinot noir for cooking so that is the one I’ve readily available on a regular basis. Nonetheless, any dry pink wine can be utilized, or substituted with white wine. There is no such thing as a want to make use of costly wine right here, it’s wasted! Get a steeply discounted bottle from the low cost bins on the liquor retailer.
Non-alcoholic substitute – The alcohol within the wine is generally cooked out as a result of we scale back the wine then the sauce is simmered for an additional half-hour. Nonetheless, in the event you want an alcohol-free possibility, use additional rooster inventory as a substitute.
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Kalamata olives – Use entire, pitted kalamata olives. The brine goodness of the olives provides each flavour and salt into the sauce, so don’t skip it! (Notice: I manner want the flavour and texture of Kalamata olives over commonplace “black olives” that are firmer and have much less flavour).
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Rooster inventory/broth – Low sodium please. This fashion we will management the extent of salt we add. I all the time fear when utilizing full salt rooster inventory that sauces find yourself too salty and you may’t undo it.
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Tomato – Tomato paste and canned tomato. The tomato paste thickens the sauce (so we don’t want flour or different thickener) and provides an additional hit of tomato flavour.
The best way to make Rooster Cacciatore
Brown rooster pores and skin > sauté veg > simmer half-hour. Simple!
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Season – Lay the rooster out on a tray then sprinkle either side with salt and pepper.
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Brown – Utilizing a big pan with a lid (mine is 30cm/12″ broad, this Pyrolux, it appears to solely be obtainable in Australia). Sear the pores and skin aspect of the thighs till golden (about 6 minutes) then the flesh aspect for just one minute. Put it again on the identical attempt then brown the drumsticks as greatest you’ll be able to (due to the form, you’ll be able to’t brown it evenly, that’s okay).
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Sauté & dissolve anchovies – Sauté the onion with the rosemary and bay leaves till the onion is softened. Then clear an area in the midst of the pan and prepare dinner the garlic with the anchovies, mashing up the anchovies as you go (ie no have to mince with a knife, simply add them in entire). Then combine the garlic and anchovies up with the onion.
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Cook dinner greens – Add the capsicum and mushrooms and prepare dinner for five minutes till softened. The mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate, by this time they need to be softened.
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Cook dinner off tomato paste – Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes. This can take off the bitter edge and enhance the flavour, so don’t skip this step.
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Sauce – Add the wine and scale back by about 3/4 (to prepare dinner out the winey flavour, forsaking simply the tasty wine flavour). Then add the canned tomato, rooster inventory/broth, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
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Simmer – As soon as the sauce comes as much as a simmer, gently place the rooster items in, skin-side up. Then put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes on medium. The liquid ought to be simmering gently, not quickly (it can spill over if it does).
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Olives & thicken sauce – Take away the lid and add the olives. Then simmer for an additional 10 minutes with out the lid. The olives will soften and meld into the sauce, and the sauce will scale back and thicken.
And that’s it! Able to serve!
Serve over mashed potato or polenta, a superb on-theme possibility for Italian meals. When you don’t have the time to make “actual” polenta (which does take a superb 40 minutes or so), purchase “prompt polenta” or “fast polenta” which takes 5 to 10 minutes on the range.
It’s additionally beautiful over plain rice or simply served in a bowl with crusty bread on the aspect for mopping. Serve it with a leafy inexperienced salad on the aspect tossed with my On a regular basis Salad Dressing (or improve to Italian Dressing) for a easy midweek meal. Or in the event you’re making this for a Sunday Supper with household and pals, go all out by serving it with a Mega Italian Salad, garlic bread and a heat Cinnamon Rice Pudding or Baked Stuffed Apples for dessert. Swoon! – Nagi x
Watch how you can make it
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Rooster Cacciatore
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook dinner: 4 hours
Elements
Cacciatore:
- 1 onion , halved, finely sliced
- 2 rosemary sprigs (about 15 cm/6″ lengthy), or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves , ideally contemporary else dried
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 3 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp anchovy paste), optionally available (Notice 2)
- 250 g mushrooms , sliced
- 2 pink capsicum , sliced 8 mm thick (medium, not large)
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup dry pink wine
- 2 cups rooster inventory/broth , low sodium
- 400g/14 oz canned crushed tomato
- 16 entire kalamata olives , pitted, drained
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Directions
Rooster:
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Season – Unfold the rooster out on a tray. Sprinkle each side with the salt and pepper.
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Brown pores and skin – Warmth the oil over excessive warmth in a big, deep, heavy based mostly pan, ideally one with a lid (Notice 3). Place the rooster thighs within the pan, pores and skin aspect down, and prepare dinner till the pores and skin is golden brown, round 6 minutes. Flip and prepare dinner the flesh aspect for simply 1 minute, then take away the rooster onto the identical tray. Then add the drumsticks and brown either side as greatest you’ll be able to, about 1 1/2 minutes on either side (the form makes it awkward). Take away onto the tray.
Cacciatore:
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Onion – Pour off and discard all however about 2 tablespoons of fats. Flip the warmth right down to medium and let the pan cool barely. Add the onion, rosemary leaves, bay leaves and dried oregano. Cook dinner for 3 minutes till the onion is beginning to soften.
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Garlic and anchovies – Clear an area in the midst of the pan. Add the anchovies and garlic, cooking, mashing up the anchovies, till the garlic is mild golden, then stir it into the onion.
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Greens & tomato paste – Flip the warmth again as much as excessive. Add the mushroom and capsicum. Stir till softened – about 5 minutes (the mushrooms will go watery then the water will evaporate). Add the tomato paste and prepare dinner for two minutes to prepare dinner out the bitter flavour – don’t shortcut this.
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Sauce – Add the wine. Stir, convey to simmer then enable to scale back by round 75%. Add the inventory, canned tomato, salt and pepper. Stir, convey to a simmer.
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Simmer – Then fastidiously place the rooster into the sauce (pores and skin aspect up) and pour any juices on the tray in as effectively. When the liquid returns to a simmer, cowl, scale back the warmth to medium then simmer energetically for 20 minutes. Take away lid, add olives, simmer for an additional 10 minutes (no lid). This can scale back and thicken the sauce.
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Serve – Serve the rooster with loads of sauce over mashed potato or polenta, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
2. Anchovies are a effectively documented supplier of additional flavour into dishes, and when used accurately (like right here!) you’ll be able to’t style any fishiness in any respect. Belief me! However, in the event you merely can’t do it, substitute with 2 tsp fish sauce (add with canned tomato) or as a final resort, add an additional 1/2 tsp salt into the sauce.
3. The pot you see pictured is 30cm / 12″ broad, this Pyrolux.
Lifetime of Dozer
When Dozer made the duvet of gossip mags!!!
OK, so he’s a small inset on the duvet – however nonetheless! Test one off his bucket record! 🙌🏻😂
This was press in relation to a bit of visitor decide look I did for Masterchef Australia which aired on Monday seventeenth June which you’ll be able to watch right here on Ten Play. What an expertise! I’ll share extra about it in an upcoming life happenings replace. 🙂
On the well being entrance, Dozer is doing so effectively! His power ranges and energy have improved to the purpose that he’s breaking out right into a run with out me having to coax him like I used to. He needs to play, he’s again to chasing birds, trotting into the kitchen each time I pull one thing tasty out of the oven and I even take him on skilled shoot days once more! 🥰
I really feel so grateful and relieved that he’s recovered okay from his surgical procedure to get an affordable degree of normalcy again into his life. Most significantly to me, he’s blissful and again to having fun with life – and meals!
Love this darn canine so darn a lot.
