Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-09-16
4jophinsuiIle 1,cntnfkian.
TEUsDAY, SEPTEMBER lo, 1896
oAlcksn A la MAReNoo.

How This Delicious Dish Is Prcparei-A
lit OF Culinary History.
Nearly every ono is familiar with tho
story OF chicken la Mprcngs: How up
on the eve OF that splendid victory the
chef of Napoleon, finding his store OF
butter becoming scanty, fried his chick
on in olive oil, aud the Little Corporal,
probably elatcd with premonitions OF
his brilliant success, declared then and
there that such supreme dish had
never been served to him before. Few
people, however, know what really
delicious dish tender chicken fried in
olive oil makes. In Arabia and some
other Oriental countries where olive oil
is cheap 1t is used exclusively for fry
ing. II can be heated TO much higher
temperature than lard or any animal
fat before it burns, and is therefore bet
ter adapted to cooking, but 1t Is too ex-
pensive for general use In this way.
| Cottonsced oil. 4 substitute for lard
which has been offered, possesses all
the desirable qualities OF olive oil fol
frying, but unfortunately 1t has
rank flavor that penctratcs foot
and hangs about tho kitcher
long after the frying is done
A mixture OF beef fat and lard is thu
best available frying fat we have
Chicken a La Marengo is not q fried disl
in the strict sense of the word. but
saute dish. In all saute dishes only jus
enough fat is used to cook the food AM
not have it burn. The pan is continu
ally shaken as the name saute would In
dicate, and the fat is intended to seaso1
the food being absorbed by it. Butte
is therefore usually used. 1t require
only gill of oil to cook a chicken Il
this way, but the oil must be OF the yer,
incest quality, the same that should
used in mayonnaise dressing. Lik
butter and an egg, olive oil must be be
:. yond suspicion. 1t is exceedingly un
:. pleasant to recall the quantity Of ranci
oil that is regularly served at hotel ia
!. bles and restaurants where the proprie
tor would not think OF Offering butter o
any thing else in the same condition
v He and the majority Of his guests seen
in blissful ignorance. 1t is difficult al
ways in summer to get sweet virgin oliv
oil, but without it any dish Of chicken
a la Marengo is spoiled.
Having procured young chicken
weighing about three pounds. cut 1t u
neatly, and carefully as for fricasee
: Lay the pieces in cold water for fey
moments, then wipe each one dry will
kitchen towel season each with sal
and pepper and dust 1t with -four. Pu
four tablespoonfuls OF olive oil into I
spider large enough to hold half the
pieces of chicken. without overlapping
Heat the oil till it is very hot; add 1
sliced shallot or small onion, few
pieces of parsley, sprig OF thyme, an'
a bay leaf. and finally the pieces o
chicken. Cook each one on one side til
1t is half done and brown, then turn
u on the other and cook 1t till done.
' will take about twenty-five minutes
= cook splderful of the chicken. Whe
+. the first spiderful is cooked add fou
more spoonfuls of oil and another slice'
onion; heat it very hot and put in tn
rest OF the chicken. As soon as IL is al
] done, dish it and prepare the sauce
Add two tablespoontuls Of flour to tn
hot oil remaining in the spider and ad
slowly two cups of broth; boil 1t for to-
2. minutes, stirring constantly, and strai
1t through gravy strainer around tn
chicken, which should be on a platte
: dished in a pyramid form. A dish
p, boiled or of stewed mushrooms is
!, delightful accompaniment Of chicke
cooked in this way-N. Y. Tribune.