I’m often asked what my favourite film star recipe is. This one would be in the top ten for sure. It’s so easy, and so delicious. It’s absolutely fail-safe, so I chose it for the book group when I couldn’t find my Cooking Price-Wise book…
Becky had requested that I make Vincent’s Chicken in Vermouth which was such a hit way back in April 2012, but Cooking Price-Wise is nowhere to be found. It is the thing I most want to find during this year’s Marie Kondo tidying fiesta. It’s got to be around the place somewhere… This genius little book cost 30p to buy when it was released in 1971, it would now cost me about £80 to replace. Gadzooks! Where on EARTH is it?!
Lovely Matthew Coniam gave me this book as a housewarming present when I landed at Silver Screen Suppers Towers. Looking back, I can see that it was 2010 when I moved here, I feel a 5th anniversary party coming on!
Anyhow, if it wasn’t for Cooking Price-Wise, there would have been no Vincentennial Cookblog, and all the wonderful things that have resulted from doing that. Not least my involvement in a Vincent Price festival that will be happening in London in November and the riotous Vincent Price Halloween Cookalong.
Anyhow, you want the fail-safe Liz recipe don’t you? Well it follows. I bought lovely bone in chicken breasts from Midhurst Butchers – they were MASSIVE and very lovely. We had a nice chat in there about Elizabeth, her many husbands, Columbo and growing older. One of the butchers in there really made me laugh. He said, “Turning 50 gave me the right hump”. Ha ha. I should imagine it will give me the right hump too!
I THINK this recipe dates from the Richard Burton era…
Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken Steamed in Wine
“I know no way better to cook chicken than this. Because it is so elegant. It sounds difficult, but actually you will find that it is very easy.”
3-4 pound boiler-fryer cut in pieces
4 tablespoons salad or olive oil
Flour chicken lightly and brown in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven.
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups dry Sauterne
Pour over chicken. Cover and simmer about an hour, or until tender.
And that’s it! It’s wonderful over rice, or just by itself. But do have French bread, or something to mop up the wonderful sauce.
Serves 6 to 8.
