To Cook the Perfect Chicken Dishes

         Pollo alla cacciatora or hunter's chicken, is such a stalwart of the traditional Italian restaurant menu in this country that it wasn't until I came to write this piece that I paused to wonder. As with so many classics, arguing about the animal used is only the beginning. The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking: Since there has always been a hunter in nearly every Italian household, every Italian cook prepares a dish with a claim to that description. There are uncounted permutations in the dishes that go by the Cacciatora name, it generally consist of a fricassee with tomato, onion and other vegetables.
                   The recipes can call for chicken, so that's what I'm sticking with, the later in the season. It would be well worth experimenting with joints of pheasant or rabbit, or even whole partridge or other small birds. If you'd like a bit of variety add them to the dish later, as Hazan suggest .

The Perfect Chicken dishes:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 chicken legs, divided into thighs and drumsticks (skin removed if desired)
• seasoned flour, to dust
• 2 heads of garlic, cut horizontally
• small bunch of rosemary
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stick of celery, diced
• Half a glass of white wine
• 250 ml decent chicken stock
• 100g tinned plum tomatoes in juice, roughly chopped ( or 100g really ripe fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped)

Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Dust the chicken pieces in seasoned flour, then fry them in batches until golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Fry the garlic, rosemary, carrot and celery, with a lime more oil if necessary for a few minutes until slightly golden. Tip in the stock and tomatoes, and replace the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cove, turn down the heat and cook gently for 45 minutes , until the meat is falling from the bone. Season to taste and serve with a green salad, rice or polenta.