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Chicken Marengo in 2 recipes, traditional and modern – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

La Cucina Italiana


Prepared on the day of the battle of the same name, the chicken at Marengo he also became a legend. Here it is, in a less “warlike” and more harmonious way, in two main course recipes: traditional and modern. But first let’s discover the history of this legendary dish, which is still popular today.

The history of chicken Marengo

Napoleon he was not a great gourmet, he dedicated only the necessary time to food, he ate in a hurry and never before battles. He was hungry, therefore, on the afternoon of June 14, 1800, after the most important victory of his life, in Marengo. An almost unexpected triumph against the Austrian army, which he managed to beat with a counterattack made possible by the arrival of General Desaix, with fresh troops. A crucial moment in the history of Europe, which made the town of Spinetta Marengo, in the province of Alessandria, and glorious Napoleon. Which, finally returning from the fighting fields, he asked his cook Dunand something to eat. He sent his cooks to look for ingredients in the nearby farms; he then didn’t have time to think of a well-thought-out dish with what they brought him, and so he put together chicken, tomatoes, eggs, mushrooms, crayfish, sprinkled them with lemon and a little Cognac, and presented his dish. The success was immediate and definitive: from then on what was immediately christened “chicken alla Marengo” became untouchable.

Dunand later tried to modify the recipe, presenting more suitable versions to Napoleon. But every attempt was rejected: the general, superstitious, demanded that it always be prepared in the exact same way as on the day of the battle. Not all sources agree on the original “formula”. The historian Massimo Alberinifor example, claims that it was much simpler, only chicken sautéed with oil, white wine and parsley: Artusi, for example, presents a version without tomatoes, prawns and mushrooms, which seem to be later additions. But just like the battle of Marengo, this recipe also has something legendary about it.

«…it was called Pollo alla Marengo; and it is said that it was always in Napoleon’s favor, if not because of his merit, but because it reminded him of that glorious victory.” PELLEGRINO ARTUSI

Two versions between tradition and modernity

We propose it in one of the classic versions that have come down to us and in a lighter and more harmonious reworking: only the chicken breast, roasted rather than stewed, accompanied with a sauce prepared with puree and shellfish heads, like a bisque . We choose scampi, similar in delicacy to river prawns, but easier to find, and leave the mushrooms raw. The crouton with the fried egg, however, becomes a crouton just brushed with egg, browned in a pan.

Chicken Marengo – traditional recipe

Ingredients for 6 people

  • 1.2 kg of chicken breast
  • 500 g plum tomatoes
  • 150 g cleaned champignon mushrooms
  • 6 eggs
  • 6 flour prawn tails
  • garlic
  • lemon
  • homemade bread
  • butter
  • chopped parsley
  • dry white wine
  • salt
  • extra virgin olive oil

Modern eggplant Parmigiana recipe – Italian Cuisine

Modern eggplant Parmigiana recipe


  • 1 kg fiordilatte mozzarella
  • 1 kg long purple eggplants
  • 900 g perini tomatoes
  • 25 g peeled almonds
  • 15 g Grana Padano Dop
  • 3 slices of sandwich bread
  • basil
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

For the modern eggplant parmigiana recipe, cut the mozzarella into 3-4 mm thick slices and spread them on a tray lined with kitchen paper; let them rest for at least 2 hours, so that they lose the excess liquid. Slice the aubergines into 2-3 mm thick slices and cook them in a hot pan, with a pinch of salt on the bottom, for about 2 minutes per side. Peel the tomatoes and cut them
round slices (3-4 mm).
Arrange the Parmesan in a round baking dish (diameter 29 cm) alternating the slices of mozzarella, tomato
and eggplant by placing them vertically along the perimeter of the mold. Create three concentric rings, holding
the smaller tomato and eggplant slices for the center. Remove the pancarré crust, cut it into small pieces and blend it together with 15 g of basil leaves, almonds, a tablespoon of oil and grated parmesan. Sprinkle the Parmigiana with this aromatic mince and bake it for about 15-20 minutes at 180 ° C.

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Modern lean Cappon recipe – Italian Cuisine – Italian Cuisine

Modern lean Cappon recipe - Italian Cuisine


  • 500 g flour 00
  • 5 g dry yeast
  • salt
  • 30 g parsley
  • 30 g basil
  • 15 g pine nuts
  • 2 pcs slices of bread
  • 2 pcs anchovy fillets
  • vinegar
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 80 g cauliflower
  • 80 g potatoes
  • 80 g carrots
  • 80 g broccoli
  • 80 g green beans
  • 250 g boiled octopus
  • 200 g mussels and shelled clams open in a pan
  • 150 g redfish fillet
  • 150 g tuna fillet
  • 16 pcs red prawns
  • 4 pcs scampi
  • 1 pc lobster
  • 1 pc lobster
  • salt
  • 2 pcs boiled eggs
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • parsley

For the modern lean cappon recipe, mix the flour with 250 g of water, baking powder and salt. When you have obtained a homogeneous mixture, cover it and let it rest for now. Divide the dough into small balls, place them on a tray, cover them with a cloth and let them rise for another 40 minutes. Roll them out with a rolling pin to make biscuits, spread them on a plate covered with baking paper and bake at 180 ° C for 20-25 minutes.
For the green sauce: remove the crust from the bread crumbs, chop it and wet it with 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Chop the parsley and basil and blend them together with the pancarré, the anchovy fillets, the pine nuts and 140 g of oil.
For vegetables: cut the potatoes and the carrots into small pieces, the cauliflower and the broccoli into small florets. Boil the potatoes and green beans in boiling salted water for 6-7 minutes. Blanch all the other vegetables, separately, in boiling salted water, for 4-5 minutes and cool them in cold water. Drain.
For fish and crustaceans: shelled prawns and prawns, eliminating the dark filament of the intestine. Scald them in boiling salted water for 20 seconds and drain them. Also scald the redfish for 40 seconds and the tuna for 20 seconds; drain, add salt and cut into slices. Also cut the octopus into pieces. Cook the lobster and lobster in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Remove them from the pot and cool them in cold water to stop cooking. Shell the lobster and lobster tail immediately. Cook again
for 2 minutes the head and the claws of the lobster, then shell them too. Break the crustacean pulp.
To complete: compose the lean cappon by gathering vegetables, fish and shellfish with clams and mussels in a large serving dish, biscuits and hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges. Season with the green sauce and complete with a little oil, salt, pepper and parsley leaves.

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