Chicken Savoy? Ever hear of it?
And if so, what is it and have you got a recipe? It's being invoked as one of the best chicken recipes ever, but it doesn't sound like a classic to me. All the information I could get was that it involved red-wine vinegar. Help!
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WestEndRailNJ
Jan 3, 2011 11:43 AM
It is a jersey shore classic, first served at the Legendary "Surf Restaurant" on the ocean in Long Branch. It lives on at another great restaurant Giamanos in Bradley Beach NJ with a kitchen alum from the original Surf. My recollection is that it is similar to a murphy sauce w/o the potatoes and includes hot and sweet peppers. http://www.giamanos.com/PDF/dinner.pdf
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re: mamachef
Yes, this is a classic dish from a small tavern in Bloomfield N.J. The guy who owned the kitchen, but not the bar," Stretch", called his dish Chicken Savoy. It was a local favorite when I first heard of it in the late 70's. Later on called "Stretch's Savoy Chicken". Copied, but never duplicated!!!!!!
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thymetobake
Jan 3, 2011 11:33 AM
There was an article about chicken savoy in Saveur magazine a while back. The article says it was invented by Carlo "Stretch" Verdicchio, a cook from Newark, who opened the Belmont in 1967. They wouldn't give out the recipe but the magazine printed a version that they say is pretty close.
Heat oven to 500.
Season one 3-4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces with salt and pepper to taste.
In a small food processor, finely chop 4 cloves garlic along with 1/3 cup finely grated pecorino, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. dried oregano, and 1 tsp. dried thyme.
Set herb paste aside. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin side down and cook until golden brown. Turn chicken over. Smear the chicken skin with the herb paste. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until well browned and cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Remove skillet from oven; pour out fat. Add 1 cup red wine vinegar; spoon vinegar sauce over chicken. Serve in a platter with the sauce.
I've never made it because I like Rao's Lemon Chicken recipe so much. Same kind of idea, but the vinegar gets cooked a little bit more and uses lemon juice and olive oil.
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I can't tell you if the claim is true, but anyone from Northern New Jersey will tell you the only place to go for it is @ The Belmont Tavern.....invented by Stretch.... and only made with Red Wine Vinegar, not Balsamic Vinegar.....but I prefer Basalmic Vinegar myself.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Stretchs-Chicken-Savoy
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re: fourunder
thymetobake
Jan 3, 2011 11:37 AM
Woops, sorry fourunder, while I was doing it the hard way (typing it out) you did it the smart way. :-)
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re: fourunder
The Famous Belmont Tavern, on Bloomfield Ave. and I believe, on the Newark Border. Stretch's Chicken. Almost always served with "Pot Cheese and Baked Ziti", and Cowboy who always sat at the bar. . Actually Stretch's used a lot of butter and I have found the "Rao's Lemon Chicken approximates the taste of Stretch's. Stretch owned the kitchen only; the bar was a seperate business.
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re: ospreycove
and Cowboy who always sat at the bar.....
_______________________________________Let's not forget to mention * Frankie, The Fly *
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todao
Jan 3, 2011 11:14 AM
My recipe for Chicken Savoy is simply a cut up chicken (all the parts) that I first rub with olive oil then lay out in a baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Then I bake it in a sauce made with a blend of chicken stock, garlic and olive oil to which I add thyme and oregano. I baste it periodically while it's baking. If I have it on hand, I brush it with a light coat of balsamic vinegar just before it comes out of the oven but I often substitute a white wine or, when I'm feeling brave, Marsala for the balsamic. Frankly, I like the white wine better
A variation is to include white wine in the sauce and forget about the brushed wine at the end.
