Cacciatore (, ; ) means "hunter" in Italian. In cuisine, ''alla cacciatora'' refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with onions, herbs, usually tomatoes, often bell peppers, and sometimes wine. Cacciatore is popularly made with braised chicken (''pollo alla cacciatora'') or

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit s ...

(''coniglio alla cacciatora''). The ' is a small

salami Salami ( ) is a cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for up to 45 da ...

that is seasoned with only garlic and pepper.

Preparation

A basic cacciatore recipe usually begins with a couple of tablespoons of

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: ...

heated in a large frying pan. Chicken parts, seasoned with salt and pepper, are seared in the oil for three to four minutes on each side. The chicken is removed from the pan, and most of the fat poured off. The remaining fat is used to fry the onions, peppers or other vegetables for several minutes. A small can of peeled tomatoes (drained of liquid and chopped coarsely) is typically added to the pan along with rosemary and a half cup of dry red wine. Bay leaf may be used, along with chopped carrot to give extra sweetness. The seared chicken parts are returned to the pan which is then covered. The dish is done after about an hour at a very low simmer. Cacciatore is often served with a rustic bread. Outside of

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

(mainly in the US), it may be served with

pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are ...

on the side or atop white rice.

Chicken cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore typically, but not always, includes base ingredients of onion, garlic, and tomato.

Salami cacciatore

Salami Cacciatore typically originates from the southern Italian Provinces of Calabria, specifically

Squillace Squillace ( grc, Σκυλλήτιον ''Skylletion''; grc-x-medieval, Σκυλάκιον ''Skylakion'') is an ancient town and ''comune'', in the Province of Catanzaro, part of Calabria, southern Italy, facing the Gulf of Squillace. Squillace ...

. Ingredients vary from region to region.

Variations

The many different variations of this entree are based upon ingredients available in specific regions. For example, in

southern Italy Southern Italy ( it, Sud Italia or ) also known as ''Meridione'' or ''Mezzogiorno'' (), is a macroregion of the Italian Republic consisting of its southern half. The term ''Mezzogiorno'' today refers to regions that are associated with the peop ...

, cacciatore often includes red wine, while

northern Italian Northern Italy ( it, Italia settentrionale, it, Nord Italia, label=none, it, Alta Italia, label=none or just it, Nord, label=none) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. It consists of eight administrative region ...

chefs might use white wine. Some versions of the dish may use mushrooms.

References

{{sausage Italian chicken dishes Rabbit dishes

Preparation

Chicken cacciatore

Salami cacciatore

Variations

See also

References