This is my Daddykin’s favourite dish 🙂
The real, true, proper version (of which mines completely isn’t) he first tried in a gorgeous little restaurant in St. Anne’s, called Margherita’s. We’ve been there many times and he never deviates from his Pollo Vesuvio, no matter how many times he says he will. I can’t blame him; it’s gorgeous!
So gorgeous, in fact, that I just had to try to recreate it myself. Their description of Pollo Vesuvio is “chicken breast cooked in onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, wine, brandy, cherry tomatoes, Napoli sauce, tabasco and cream”.
I refuse to buy a bottle of brandy, just to use a splash of it in a dish. I don’t drink brandy, so I know the remains will just fester away in the back of my cupboard. Therefore, the brandy is gone from my adaptation. I also use tinned tomatoes for ease of use. Here are all the things you’ll need to create this stupendous dish (my way):
Ingredients (Serves 4):
4 chicken breasts, whole
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 red peppers, diced
500g mushrooms, sliced
2 tin chopped tomatoes, drained
1 tbsp sugar
1 glass of white wine
Chicken Stock (1 cube mixed into 100ml boiled water)
1 heaped tbsp dried oregano
1 heaped tbsp dried basil
Tabasco, a generous dash (as much as you can handle!)
50ml cream (room temperature)
Grated Parmesan (a big handful – room temperature)
Make sure everything is all prepared before you start 🙂
Brown the chicken all over, in olive oil, then take out and set aside on a plate.
Fry the onions and garlic for 5-10 mins. Add your red peppers and mushrooms, stirring for a further 5 mins.
Put your chicken back into the pan.
Add your chopped tomatoes, then sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over it (this will get rid of that tangy-ness of the tomato that makes the eyeball twitch).
Add the white wine, chicken stock, basil, oregano and Tabasco, then give it all a good stir.
Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Turn off the heat, put your chicken breasts on their plates, then add your cream and grated parmesan to the sauce. After a good stir, pour it decadently over your chicken breasts. Mmmm.
Best served with tasty roast totties!
One of the great things about this dish, is that there is sometimes leftover sauce (which freezes no bother yay!). Add it to some pasta and smoked sausage. Tastiest. Lunch. Ever.
Have you ever tried to recreate your favourite dish from a restaurant? There’s a starter dish I fancy trying, from the ASK restaurant. It’s crostini with beef tomato, goats cheese, caramelised onions and balsamic vinegar, served with rocket. LLARRRRRRRRRRRRR!
Enjoy 🙂 x
Noble Nourishment 