Battenburgbelle is writing a cookbook.  It’s mostly for her daughter (my Goddaughter) who will be flying the nest soon and BB wants her to have a collection of recipes that are do-able for a beginner.  She asked if I would contribute something and I can’t think of anything better than Elizabeth’s recipe for chicken.

I think, if pressed, I would say this is my favourite recipe in the Silver Screen Suppers collection.  It is so easy, always delicious and very quick to prepare.  I make this a lot.  Thank you darling Liz.

I made a little variation to the recipe this time as I had some crisped up pancetta in the fridge that needed to be used up, so I popped it in with everything else.

I wanted to use up some chicken bits I had in the freezer, and to see if chicken breasts would work (I usually make this with chicken legs or thighs).  The answer is yes.  You can use any chicken joints for this it seems.  This is a failsafe recipe.  So if you don’t want to joint a chicken, just get as many bits of chicken as you have people (extra ones if you are feeding folks with a big appetite) and Liz is your uncle.  So to speak.

The bottom drawer of the frozen archives is getting emptier and emptier.  I am really trying to make some space for the ice-cream maker freezy bit so I can have a go at making peppermint ice-cream for a Maria Callas dish, a Delice Callas Parfait no less…

Here’s a version of Liz’s recipe that I have adapted for beginners.  I’ve just spelled out things a little bit more, not changed it radically.  If you would like to see the original recipe, nip over to this post.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Chicken Steamed In Wine

Why not cook like a glamorous movie star?  Liz said, “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.”  This is what I make if I have some white wine left over from a party, it really is so easy to make, doesn’t take long and will definitely impress your guests.

6-8 chicken pieces, legs, thighs or breasts

Flour for dusting over the chicken pieces

4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1 small onion, peeled, halved and sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped or crushed

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to your taste

1 ½ cups / 350 ml white wine

Flour chicken lightly and brown in the hot oil in a big frying pan.  Transfer the chicken to a casserole dish that has a lid.

Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, salt and pepper.  Pour the wine over everything.

Put the lid on the casserole dish and simmer for 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.

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