Wedding Stew

• One 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut in serving pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lard (preferably home-rendered; see Notes) or vegetable oil
• 1 small crusty roll (about 3 ounces), cut into slices
• 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 pounds), roasted and peeled
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives (one 3-ounce jar), drained
• One 3-ounce jar capers, drained
• 1/2 cup dark raisins
• 8 pickled serrano chiles, drained
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the lard in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; brown the chicken pieces until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.
3. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. In the same fat fry the bread slices over medium-high heat until golden on both sides.
5. Drain on paper towels.
6. Pour off and discard all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan; set the pan aside.
7. Place the peeled tomatoes in a blender with the onion, garlic, and bread; process to a smooth puree (about 2 minutes on high).
8. Return the Dutch oven to the stove and heat over medium-high heat until the fat ripples.
9. Add the tomato mixture and cook, covered, over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
10. Stir in the chicken stock, olives, capers, raisins, pickled chiles, and parsley.
11. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the chicken pieces.
12. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

chicken, salt, lard, crusty roll, tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken, pimiento, capers, dark raisins, serrano chiles, fresh italian parsley

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/wedding-stew (may not work)