So many of us learned to cook watching Julia on television and testing the recipes between the pages of "The Silver Palate".
Of all the recipes in the cookbook, probably THE recipe is the Chicken Marbella. As stated in the cookbook, this was the first main dish offered at The Silver Palate.
It's that perfect dish -- it can be made ahead; can be served fresh from the oven or at room temperature.
It is the "little black dress" of a chicken dish.


My first Silver Palate cookbook is well worn for I've made lots of dishes from inside these pages. It's one that I turn to when I'm looking for something different.


Silver Palate's Chicken Marbella
4 chickens, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh cilantrol, finely chopped
In a large bowl, combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Preheat oven to 350.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over chicken.
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh cilantrol, finely chopped
In a large bowl, combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Preheat oven to 350.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over chicken.
5 comments:
I love cookbooks. They are so inspiring. That chicken is exactly the type of food I like and asparagus is always a hit here.
I must take myself right to bed now...no stops at the kitchen...which of course I now want to do after looking at all your wonderful pictures of food! I cannot wait to try some of your recipes...thank you for sharing. :)
Hi Martha! Now this absolutely looks and sounds divine! I'll have to try this!
Be a sweetie and thanks for popping in to see me.
Shelia ;)
Ah - chicken marbella. One of our all time favorites. We serve it often and it's so easy. I'm always surprised more people haven't heard of it.
I saw an interesting version of it recently on Stacy's Snacks - she used figs instead of the prunes.
I still have my original SP cookbook. I hope the 25th anniversary one will once again bring attention to this fabulous cookbook.
Sam
Truth be known, I keep a jar of sauce on hand for emergencies, but I promise you that this sauce is way way way better than anything jarred... I PROMISE!!!! (just as long as you use the tomatoes I suggest... other canned tomatoes just simply are not as good)
Take care,
ButterYum
Post a Comment