RAPID ROTISSERIE MARENGO
If you ask what my favorite childhood meal is, it happens to be my favorite meal I made when I was a child – 11 to be exact – Chicken Marengo (or, 'Napoleon’s Chicken'). After several months of Saturdays spent watching Julia Child, I was ready to make this recipe, poached eggs on toast (with crusts removed) and all. I already took on the responsibility of house cleaning and cooking dinner when I got home from school – it was a different time, don’t go on about it. My Mother took out chicken thighs in the morning with little else to work from. I saw Child just make her Chicken Marengo (which she referred to, unsurprisingly in hindsight, only as Napoleon’s Chicken) that past weekend and noticed we had tomato sauce and black olives in the top cabinet above the oven range; knew we had eggs and bread for toast. No shrimp. Child included shrimp, as the recipe – the French recipe that is – calls for crayfish in its mode commune.
Some exposition: After defeating the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo at Marengo south of Alessandria, Italy; French military leader and self-appointed emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, was hungry – as you would be after an affray. Boner’s Chef foraged for ingredients and created the dish from what he could gather: tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and herbs. Naps loved it, and soon requested it be served to him after every skirmish. The Chef would later replace the mushrooms for crayfish and added wine to the recipe, which the suspicious little tyrant refused; believing it would bring bad mojo.
Back to the future: Just like Boo Boo Nay, my Chicken Marengo was victorious, too. And for my Rapid Rotisserie Marengo, I pay homage to those flavors all those years ago, sans mushrooms or shell fish of course (you’re welcome to add either to yours if you’d like); however, I opt for 7 minute eggs rather than poached and garnish with a smattering of scallions for added freshness. A new path, if you will, on this trip down food memory lane.
PREP/COOK TIME: 20 Minutes
Makes 2 – 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1 – Store Bought Rotisserie Chicken
1 Tb – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tb – Finely Minced Garlic
¼ Tsp – Crushed Red Pepper
½ Jar - Rao's Homemade Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
1 Cup – Chicken Broth, or Water
½ Tsp – Kosher Salt
½ Tsp – Coarse Black Pepper
½ Cup – Kalamata Olives, Roughly Chopped
2 Large – Eggs
2 Slices – Sara Lee of Artesano White Bread
2 Tb – Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup – Scallions, Stems and Leaves, Finely Chopped
THE NITTY GRITTY
7 MINUTE EGGS – Add eggs to a small sauce pan; fill with cold water just an inch above eggs. Heat uncovered on high; bring to a boil. Once water starts to boil, cover and turn off heat. Set timer for 7 minutes (5 if you prefer softer yolks). Once done, place eggs in a bowl with iced water stop cooking process. Procced to crack shell all around egg, do NOT peel; return to water for about 1 minute. Using your thumbnail, peel egg by piercing through the shell to the shell membrane at the bottom of cooked egg where the air cell is located. Shell should remove easily; almost in one piece. Dip back into cold water if any resistance occurs.
In a large pan, heat oil at medium high. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook till fragrant. Add sauce, olives, salt and black pepper; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 2 – 3 minutes, adding broth to loosen sauce when necessary.
Portion chicken in half or quartered; add to sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken to coat. Reduce heat to medium low and cover; simmer for 3 – 4 minutes.
Toast bread slices to preference; butter each slice and cut on the diagonal when done.
Remove pan from heat.
Arrange toast quarters on either side of the pan. Cut eggs in half; arrange in a cross pattern.
Garnish with scallions.
Serve with egg noodles or angel hair pasta; or simply on its own and enjoy.
MARCH 10, 2021
