Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore (using red wine, fresh tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided use
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 broiler-fryer (about 3 pounds), cut up
3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 medium-size tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 green bell pepper, sliced

Combine the 1/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper in a plastic bag. Add chicken; shake to coat thoroughly.

Heat oil in heavy kettle or Dutch oven. Brown chicken, part at a
time, on all sides; remove and keep warm.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, remaining salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Simmer rapidly, stirring often, for 15 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste and return chicken to kettle. Simmer over low heat for 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken to heated serving platter; keep warm. Blend remaining 1 tablespoon flour with small amount of water in cup; stir into sauce. Add green pepper (pepper may be sauteed first to soften, if desired); bring to boiling. Cook and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Spoon sauce over chicken.

This dish can be frozen. Reduce cooking time in step 5 to 40 minutes to prevent overcooking in reheating.

Makes 4 servings