4 servings

You will need
1 chicken weighing 2lb.
powdered cinnamon
½ cup lard
½ cup oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch of herbs, containing bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, a few leek tops, parsley and a piece dry orange peel; all well tied with a strong thread or twine.
3 or 4 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 glass old wine
1 small glass dry spirits
1 teaspoon flour
1 live lobster, weighing 2lb.
a few pistils dry saffron
1 large clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons toasted and peeled almonds and hazel-nuts
2 tablespoons chocolate
8 rather large, triangular-shaped slices of fried bread
ground pepper
parsley
salt
pepper

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little cinnamon. Brown, together with chicken liver, in equal parts of lard and oil in a shallow earthenware pot or casserole. When golden, add chopped onion and the bunch of herbs. Stir, and once the onion is tender, add the tomatoes. Stir, and once the onion is tender, add the tomatoes. Fry until the tomatoes lose wateriness, then add the wine and spirits.

Cover the casserole until the wine is reduced by half. Sprinkle with flour, simmer a little then pour on stock or hot water until the pieces of chicken are well covered.

Continue cooking slowly. Cut the lobster, while alive, into 8 pieces, keeping its liver and blood aside. Fry lightly in hot oil. When the chicken is half-cooked, add the lobster in the casserole.

In a mortar, pound the saffron, garlic, almonds and hazel-nuts, the fried chicken liver, the lobster’s liver. When the mixture converted into a smooth paste, add the melted or powdered chocolate. Dilute the paste with the lobster’s blood and the chicken sauce. Add to the casserole in which the chicken and the lobster are cooking.

Salt and pepper to taste. There should not be too much sauce, and once the dish is ready, remove the herbs and serve in the casserole, with the freshly-fried bread all around and a little minced parsley on top.

For special occasions, put the piece of chicken and lobster on a large, heated metal bowl. The pieces of lobster can even be taken out of their shell, keeping the head in the centre of the dish. Strain the sauce and pour over everything. Place the dishes of fried bread around the sides, alternating with lobster claws.

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© Shufunotomo Co., Ltd., Japan 1973