Chicken Cacciatore (serves 4)

Pinch of sugar

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 oz. dried boletus mushrooms (nonsense; I used canned straw mushrooms)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup flour 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper (I also used 1/4 tsp white pepper)

2 lbs. boned chicken (4 fillet breasts )

1 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary 1 tsp Italian seasoning (whatever; I mixed oregano, basil, thyme, marjoram)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (I usually double this)

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (or pureed plum tomatoes)

4 thick slices Monterey Jack cheese

Heat butter and olive oil and sauté mushrooms until tender. Remove from pan and set aside. (If you use dried mushrooms, soak in 1/2 cup white wine for 30 min, and omit the sauté.) Blend the flour, salt and pepper together and dredge the chicken. Brown the chicken pieces in the same pan. Add mushrooms, wine, rosemary, Italian seasoning, garlic, sugar, and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 min; remove lid and simmer for 20 more min. Meanwhile, prepare polenta and heat plates. To serve, place 1 slice Jack cheese on each plate and cover cheese with a mound of polenta. Spoon Cacciatore over the polenta and serve immediately. (I do this backwards: polenta, sauce, chicken, cheese, sauce. Who cares?)

Master Polenta (4 servings)

1 3/4 cups chicken broth or stock 3/4 cup cornmeal (the coarser the better; Bob's Red Mill, if available)

4 Tbsp butter Garlic and parmesan to taste

Heat 3/4 cup chicken broth. Stir the remaining cup into the dry cornmeal and, when smooth, slowly stir the mixture into the boiling broth with a wire whisk. Add the butter and cook over low heat, stirring, until butter melts. Serve immediately. (Polenta gets quite firm when it cools; it can be cut up and fried; great stuff.)