For those of you who were in on the discussion about Provence and Provencal food you will remember a threat at posting my Dad's Poulette Provencal recipe well here it is. Sorry it's taken so long.
I am actually posting two methods. The first is the traditional recipe the second is a lower fat way of doing it. Both of them are really easy and real crowd pleasers.
Poulette Provencal
1 Chicken – sectioned 4 – 6 ripe tomatoes (or equivalent canned) diced largely ½ lb. Mushrooms 3 oz. Black olives – cured in oil (this last part is very important as they impart a particular flavor) Garlic – 2 cloves +/- 1 Lemon Thyme Butter for browning Salt and pepper to taste
-Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice over mushrooms and toss (exclude pits) -Remove pulp and discard from lemon and cut rind into small pieces set aside -Brown mushrooms in butter in small fry pan -Brown chicken in oil in main pot (as olive oil burns at low temps I tend to use canola oil for this) -When the chicken is brown remove excess fat -Add mushrooms, garlic, lemon rind, tomatoes, salt, and pepper -Optionally add water of white wine. This depends on how thick you want it and how much juice you have from the tomatoes. I generally opt for at least some white wine.
Cook over a low fire for 40 minutes 10 minutes before it’s done add olives Serve over rice
That’s the traditional way, I came up with a somewhat quicker way for weekdays that is also lower in fat because my husband although incredibly thin has a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol.
CONTEMPORARY LOWER FAT WAY
All the ingredients are as above but instead of using whole quartered chicken I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Lemon marinade and brown the mushrooms as before, throw everything else together as above and simmer it while.
While that is simmering I brown the chicken breasts until they are almost done (still a bit pink on the inside). When the sauce has simmered long enough 30-40 minutes I throw in the chicken breasts (and their juices) to finish cooking, maybe 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Posts: 74 | Location: Richmond, Va | Registered: 30 September 2003
quote:Originally posted by Colleen: But ya know, I don't think I've ever seen olives cured in oil!
They are often available from Morocco. They will be called Moroccan Oil Cured olives or Moroccan Dry Cured olives. There is also an Italian roasted black olive that is very similar in flavor but maybe even a little richer and muskier than the Moroccan.
Colleen- I find mine in the same place as I get my capers etc. On the condiments isle of my local supermarket. The brand is Haddon House, which I don't think of as an especially upscale brand. For that matter I don't think of Richmond as terribly cosmopolitain either. Take a look around on your supers shelves. They are the little shriveld dry looking black olives. They not packed in oil.
Dean - I have never tried the Morrocan variety, I'll have to search them out. Have you found them in gourmet shops or do you think I can find them in an ethnic grocers?
Let me know how you like it.
Posts: 74 | Location: Richmond, Va | Registered: 30 September 2003
quote: They are the little shriveld dry looking black olives. They not packed in oil.
Oh, thanks! I was trying to picture olives packed in oil, but now that you describe them as shriveled and not in oil, I do think I've seen them around.
Posts: 14276 | Location: The Beautiful San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: 06 August 2001
I loved it, travelbug, and my husband loved it too! The lemon-olive-tomato-thyme combination is sublime. I never bought oil-cured olives before because they look, well, shriveled up, but they'll be a pantry staple from now on. The technique of marinating the mushrooms in lemon juice was new to me too. I had a hard time not just eating the sauteed mushrooms before I added them to the rest of the ingredients. Thank you!
Posts: 7519 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: 18 June 2001
Wonderful! I am so glad it was a success. I will have to tell my dad.
Do you want his Bouef Bourguigon recipe? Have you ever tried a Choucroute? It is from the north in the Alsace region. I love regional foods.
The reason I love to travel is that I am at heart a culture hound and one of the best ways to the heart of a culture is through it's stomache. (Besides, my dad being who he is tried his best to raise a gourmet )
Posts: 74 | Location: Richmond, Va | Registered: 30 September 2003
Topic Closed
)
