Satisfying the hunter within

It really does seem the ultimate irony for someone as squeamish as me to be cooking a dish with 'hunter' in the title. I still have nightmares about the time my husband and I decided to venture out of our comfort zone and cook a partridge in our oven. The bird proceeded to bleed all over the oven, so much so that it dripped out. It was like a scene from a horror movie, and needless to say, did little for my appetite. When buying meat, I now stay well WITHIN my comfort zone and like my meat to be packed in plastic wrap and styrofoam and not to resemble in the slightest, the animal/bird from whence it came. Yes, I'm squeamish. I am not the kind of cook who joints her own chickens and does creative things with giblets. No thank you!

Fortunately, despite the name, this dish requires no such ghastly bloody activity. Chicken Cacciatore (literally translated as 'hunter's chicken) has many forms, but all are called thus because they are supposed to encapsulate the kind of rustic one pot dish that a hunter out in the field (doing ghastly bloody things, no doubt) would rustle up for him/herself. Since we are still somewhat in post-holiday purge mode, I sought out a recipe in a  book I clearly bought at this time of year called The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, published by the American Heart Association. I have to confess, I have had mixed results from the pages within - some of the recipes I have tried have been boringly bland, even if no doubt healthier for the lack of seasoning within. I am now a bit more careful about the recipes I choose to try from this book - opting for those which have some stronger, richer flavors in there, even they are skimpy on the salt and fat. This one is no exception - chosen because it is finished off with balsamic vinegar, which I predicted, rightly as it turned out, would add a richness to the dish, even without any wine (and minimal salt in the dish). The resulting dish has the advantage of making one feel virtuous for having eschewed those unhealthier ingredients, which, given the excesses of the former consumed during the month of December, is no bad thing! (It also helps one justify drinking a glass alongside the meal!) I also added a little more garlic and herbs than called for in the original, to give it some more zing on the taste-buds.



Healthy Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 6

8 oz mushrooms, quartered
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fat-free, low sodium, chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat
1 6oz can tomato paste/puree
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded fresh basil
wholegrain pasta to serve

1. Place the mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, celery, carrots, broth, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and bay leaf in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the chicken thighs, and spoon some of the sauce over them.
2. Cook on low for 6-7 hours (or high for 3-3 1/2 hours), or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Stir together the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and stir into the slow cooker. Stir in half the fresh basil. Change heat setting to high, if necessary, and continue to cook for 15 minutes more.
4. Serve over pasta with the rest of the basil sprinkled over the top.