Deep 39cm le Creuset dish

Created expressly for the opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini [1874 - 1940].  This is a hearty combination of chicken, mushrooms, almonds and pasta in a sherry sauce is the ideal party dish.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 10

            1kg deboned, skinless chicken thighs, quartered

            3½ liters chicken stock

            500 g penne or spaghetti

            500g mushrooms, sliced

            lemon juice

            100 g blanched almonds, oven roasted and roughly chopped

            80g butter

            150g cake flour

            pinch paprika

            Salt and pepper

            Pinch of nutmeg

            500 ml cream

            200 ml pale dry sherry

            150 ml grated cheddar cheese

            150ml breadcrumbs

METHOD:

   1. Brown chicken in a little oil in a le Crueset pan.  Add 1 liter of the stock and simmer
   2. for 20 minutes.  Remove chicken, season and set aside, keep stock for sauce.
   3. Bring a le Creuset pot filled with water to the boil, add pasta and simmer until just cooked.   Drain, refresh and give it a generous coating of either oil or butter.   Place in a deep 39cm le Creuset dish, add the chicken.
   4. Sauté the mushrooms in a little butter until soft and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add to the pasta along with the roughly chopped, roasted almonds
   5. Melt the butter and blend in the flour, a pinch of paprika, salt, pepper and nutmeg.   Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the 3½ liters stock and the cream.   Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring all the time.  After 5 minutes add the sherry. Adjust seasoning and pour sauce over the pasta. It should be very saucy.
   6. Sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs and a little paprika.
   7. Bake at 180°C until heated through and the cheese has browned. 
   8. Serve with a crisp green salad.