This is the cacciatore that I grew up with. My nona would make it and tell me the legends of her native town of Gubbio, including the story of the wolf that was tamed by one of Gubbio’s most famous visitors, St. Francis. This cacciatore relies on ingredients a hunter might have carried with him to cook his dinner: a bit of lardo or salt pork, herbs, garlic, and vinegar. In the years since Nona has been gone, I’ve had the pleasure of roaming the streets and hills around Gubbio and Assisi, where the food reminds me of her.
SERVES: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 thick-cut bacon strips, cut crosswise into pieces, 1 inch wide
- 8 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra sprigs for garnish
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chicken stock (page 19) or store-bought chicken broth
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cook the bacon in the pressure cooker until crisp, remove, and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat.
- Add the garlic and chopped rosemary and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the salt and pepper and brown on all sides, a few pieces at a time, removing the browned pieces to a plate.
- Return all the chicken to the pot and pour in the stock and vinegar.
- Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the sauce over the chicken.
- Garnish with the reserved bacon and rosemary sprigs.
