CHICKEN MARENGO

The legend goes that this dish was created for Napoleon by his chef just before the battle of Marengo, using simple ingredients he could find in the countryside around the general's encampment. (I guess he used tomatoes instead of tomato paste.) This recipe uses only one pan, nice for the clean-up person, and is for two, but can easily be increased in proportions to make the dish for 4 or 6. In that case, you may want to use 2 pans.

CHICKEN MARENGO

serves 2

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (2 halves)

2 T unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 bacon slices, chopped

1/3 C dry white wine

1 T tomato paste

1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced and stems removed (you can use white button ones)

1. Pound the thickest parts of the chicken to flatten slightly, then pat dry and season with salt and pepper. (If you do this with the chicken between two layers of wax paper, the chicken will be less bruised. You can use a rolling pin, or your fist, if you're feeling pugilistic.)

2. Heat butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then saute onion and bacon over high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

3. While onion and bacon cook, stir together wine and tomato paste.

4. Push onion and bacon to the edge of the skillet and add chicken skinned sides down. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken over and add mushrooms and wine mixture. Cook, covered, over moderately high heat until chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes.

This recipe is best done at the last minute.