Cookbook Library: New Casserole Cookbook

I love my 1968 edition of the New Casserole Cookbook! It gives a little description of the dish or tells a story about it, then tells you what to serve with it to make a complete dinner (along the lines of “serve with a butter lettuce salad; dinner rolls; and sliced peaches”).

I tried the recipe for “Poulet Marengo” and it was pretty tasty. I’d make it again. I used more basil and more garlic than the recipe called for. Also, I couldn’t find a 2 1/2 pound chicken, so I used a normal grocery store chicken (around 4 pounds) and just added a little more liquid, tomatoes, and mushrooms to make enough sauce.

1/2 c. flour
salt and pepper
t. dried basil
2 1/2 lb. chicken, cut into parts
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. olive oil
1 c. dry white wine
1 jigger (1 1/5 oz.) brandy
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 1/5 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

Mix the salt, pepper, basil, and flour. Dredge the chicken parts. Save the remaining flour mixture. Sauté the chicken in the butter and oil until well-browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to covered casserole.

Add the remaining flour to the butter and oil and stir with a whisk until it is dissolved. Slowly add the wine and brandy, stirring until well mixed and thickened. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Stir well.

Pour sauce over chicken. Cover casserole dish. Cook in 350 oven for 30-40 minutes* or until the chicken is done.

The books said to serve with noodles, a Belgian endive salad, and wine sorbet with sliced strawberries.

* I left it in the oven for 90 minutes because I don’t like undercooked chicken. It was delicious. The leftovers will probably be even better because the flavors will really have soaked in and melded.

Beth Fish Reads hosts a weekly event called Weekend Cooking.  It dovetails nicely with my goal of making one new recipe from all the books in my Cookbook Library.