GALLINA A LA VINAGRATA
Chicken with vinegar sauce, olives, raisins, and garlic.
From Joan Nathan's book Jewish Cooking in America, Alfred E. Knopf 1994



  • 1 four-pound chicken, cut in 8 pieces
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic plus 1 whole head
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound little white onions
  • 1/4 cup green olives
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Marsala or other sweet wine
  • 4 potatoes (optional)

    1. Clean the chicken with the lemon. Rub with the garlic cloves and sprinkle with salt.

    2. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan or pot with a cover over medium heat. Brown the chicken on all sides.

    3. When the chicken is brown, surround with the white onions, olives, and raisins. Slice off the top of the whole head of garlic and place in the center with a clove on each side and add the cinnamon stick, the bay leaves, and the peppercorns. Sprinkle with the vinegar and the wine. (You might want to tie the cloves and the peppercorns in a cheesecloth.)

    4. Cover and simmer over a very low heat for about an hour. You can add the peeled and diced potatoes to this dish for the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking if you like, or serve it with cooked rice. Discard the bay leaves and serve.


    This recipe is copyright 1994 Joan Nathan. Jewish Cooking in America,
    published by Alfred A. Knopf.

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