“Chicken Vesuvio, a specialty
of Chicago, is an Italian-American dish made from chicken on the bone and
wedges of potato, sauteed with garlic, oregano, white wine and olive oil, then
baked until the chicken's skin becomes crisp. The dish is often garnished with
a few green peas for color. In Chicago,
one also often finds the technique applied to other foods, like ‘steak
Vesuvio,’ ‘pork chops Vesuvio,’ or even just ‘Vesuvio potatoes.’ The origins of the dish are unknown, but some
suggest it might have been popularized by the Vesuvio Restaurant, which
operated… in Chicago in the 1930s.” - Wikipedia
Sadly, most Vesuvio recipes you
now come across only vaguely resemble a true Vesuvio. But I know where the real recipe came from…
Before Julia Child, long
before, Francois and Antoinette Pope taught us to cook on their daily
television show, which ran from 1951 to 1963 on both network and local
stations. (Daily? Obviously people, including TV cooks, had far
more of a work ethic in those days.)
And, as a kid, I used to watch it, learning to cook at a young age, and
nicely rounding out my TV day of Uncle
Johnny Coons, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garfield Goose.
The Popes began their schools
in 1930. Francois was French, and
Antoinette was Italian. (And as far as I
can see, Antoinette did the heavy lifting.)
A 1938 Chicago Tribune advertisement for “Antoinette Pope’s School of Fancy
Cookery” offered lessons for $1. The
Antoinette Pope School of Fancy Cookery ran for over 40 years, graduating over
100,000 students. Antoinette’s cookbook
(which I have two copies of, one dog-eared, grease and batter spattered, and notated, and
one in mint condition) first appeared in 1948. (My aunt has one bearing Antoinette's autograph.)
The Popes have long since
passed. And the The New Antoinette Pope School Cookbook has been out of print since
its 3rd edition in 1977. But here is the
nearly verbatim (and in strict violation of copyright laws) recipe for Chicken
Vesuvio…
Chicken
Vesuvio (serves 4)
3-pound frying chicken, cut up
½ cup sifted all-purpose flour combined with 2 teaspoons
paprika, 1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon
salt, 1 tablespoon grated Italian cheese
1/4 cup hot olive oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup stock or water
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
Wash the chicken under cold, running water, drain it
thoroughly, but have it slightly damp so the coating will cling better. Roll each piece in the seasoned flour,
pressing coating on with both hands.
Saute the chicken in the hot oil combined with butter over medium heat
until brown on both sides, but not too dark as it will darken more in the
oven. Place it in an attractive piece of
ovenware. Add the stock or water to the
drippings in the skillet, and pour this over the chicken. Place browned potatoes in and around the open
spaces on the platter. Bake in a
preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour, or until tender, removing the
breasts after 40 minutes. (I myself
often don't take the breasts out.)
Baste chicken with drippings in pan or with additional butter the last
10 minutes. If drippings appear scant,
add stock or wine.
Remember to put your breasts back in for the last
few minutes if you took them out. At
this point, little heaps of peas or green beans can be placed in open spaces,
or may be served separately.
Browned
Potatoes
2 pounds red boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup hot olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Italian cheese
Brown the potatoes in the hot oil, remove them, and
season them with the salt, pepper, and
cheese.
Peas
or string beans
1/4 cup sliced or chopped onion
1/4 cup hot olive oil or butter (or combination)
1 package defrosted frozen peas or beans
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
Saute the onion in the hot oil for several
minutes. Add the defrosted vegetables
and cook until tender - seven or eight minutes for beans, three for peas. (I always do peas and serve them separately.)
Additional Source: Chicago
Tribune
