Last week the Chicken piccata was a HUGE hit. I would make it on its own without the lentil salad. The lentil salad was better on its own than with the chicken piccata. That was my fault because I wanted to have both and thought to just combine. No bueno.
We're leaving for a week so this will be the last post for a while. I hope you enjoy!
French-styled Roasted Pork
Adapted from Sept. Cooks Illustrated Mag
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
6 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless pork loin roast (we used a sirloin roast)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons herbes de provence
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme (I have ground thyme, so I used 1 teaspoon)
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and head oven to 225 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 8-in skillet over medium low heat. add half garlic and cook 5-7 min. Transfer to ramekin and refrigerate.
2. With roast fat side up, insert knife on-third of way up from bottom of roast along 1 long side and cut horizontally, stopping 1/2 inch before edge. Open up flap. Keeping knife parallel to cutting board, cut through thicker portion of roast about 1/2 inch from bottom of roast, keeping knife level with first cut and stopping about 1/2 inch before edge. Open up this flap.
3. Sprinkle 1 tbsp salt all over both sides of pork and rub in. Sprinkle sugar over inside of loin, then spread with cooled toasted garlic misture. Starting from short side, fold roast back together like a business letter keeping fat on outside and tie with twine at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle tied roast evenly with herbes de provence and season with pepper.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add roast, fat side down, and brown on fat side and sides (don't brown bottom of roast), 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to large plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil, apple and onion, cook until onion is soft and brown, 5 to 7 minutes.Stir in remining sliced garlic and cook 30 more seconds. teturn roast fat side up to pot, place large sheet of foil over pot and cover with lid. Cook 50-90 minutes.
5. When pork registeres 140 degrees, remove from pot and let sit under foil tent to rest. Put pot over medium heat on the stove and pour broth into pot over drippings/fond and bring to a simmer. Whisk 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve as jus over pork. YUM!
Pecan Catfish with Bean and Corn Succotash
Adapted from CookingChannel.tv recipe
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels (about 3 ears corn, see note)
1 cup cooked butter beans (you can use lima beans too)
1 cup cooked black rice (you can use arborio rice)
1 cup cooked fresh spinach, chopped and squeezed dry
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
1/2 cup pecans, roasted, ground (see note)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 (6-ounce) catfish fillets
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1. Heat olive oil. Add garlic, red onion, red pepper and corn. Saute until softened. Add beans, rice, spinach to saute pan and cook another 2 minutes. Add stock and salt and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cool.
2. Mix cornmeal and pecans in bowl. Season catfish, dredge in pecan mix. Heat oil in 10-inch saute pan over high heat. Add catfish fillets and cook quickly, turning after 3 minutes (do this in batches if necessary, keeping cooked catfish warm until all fillets are done). Remove from heat and serve over succotash.
Note: To roast nuts, heat dry saute pan over medium high heat. Add nuts and roast, tossing or stirring nuts frequently. Do not walk away from pan as nuts burn in an instant. When nuts are browned, remove pan from heat and turn nuts out onto cool plate so they stop cooking immediately.
Curried Chicken Salad
Adapted from cookingchanneltv.com recipe
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, no more than 3/4-inch thick
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup halved red grapes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
5 ounces mixed greens (about 5 cups lightly packed))
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken to broth and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Turn the heat off and let chicken stand in the cooking liquid, covered, until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and cool completely in the refrigerator. Cut into 1/4-inch dice.
2. Toast the almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and beginning to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and curry powder. Fold in the chicken, grapes and cilantro and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
4. In a large bowl, toss the greens with the oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve Chicken salad over greens and top with almonds.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Chicken Piccata with Lentil Salad, Flank Steak with Horseradish Sauce
We spent the day on Long Beach yesterday and being outside for so long SERIOUSLY drains me! I'm hoping I can get all of these recipes done today and still have enough time to sit on the couch and mentally prepare me for another week of work.
I got a late start on cooking on Sunday, so I'm only posting two of the three recipes. The third I needed to use up some veggies, so I diced them all up, sauteed them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then put 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, then 1 cup veggie broth and let simmer until done. I'll bake up some fish and put it on top. nothing crazy!
Chicken Piccata with Lentil Salad
Adapted from both Cooks Illustrated and Food.com
Lentil Salad Ingredients
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
5 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Ingredients for the Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded out to 1/4 inch thickness
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, rinsed and chopped
Lentil Salad (Do #1 first, then work on the chicken!)
1. Place lentils and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cover with 4 cups warm water and soak for 1 hour. While this is soaking go down to the chicken and complete that if you want to. After soak, drain well.
2. Heat oven to 325. Place drained lentils, 2 cups water, broth, garlic, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Cover and bake until lentils are tender but remain intact, 40 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk oil and vinegar together in large bowl.
3. Drain lentils well; remove and discard garlic and bay leaf. Add drained lentils, olives, mint and shallot to dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Feta and serve with chicken.
Chicken Piccata
1. Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow pie plate. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in 2 batches, place the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
2. Pour off the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the heat. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up and browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and the capers. Season with salt and pepper and heat just until the butter has melted. Serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the skillet sauce, topped with lemon slices and parsley.
Flank Steak with Horseradish Sauce
Adapted from whatscookingamerica.net
1 pound beef flank steak
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
Horseradish Sauce (see recipe below)
1. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the flank steak with shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals, making diamond shapes. Repeat on other side of steak.
2. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and hot pepper sauce. Add prepared flank steak. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, turning steaks occasionally. We have a food saver vacuum-marinater, so this took us about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet on high with a little olive oil. Take the meat out of the marinade and sear on both sides (sear until it doesn't stick anymore to the pan). Then put the skillet, with meat on it, in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or done.
Horseradish Sauce:
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
I got a late start on cooking on Sunday, so I'm only posting two of the three recipes. The third I needed to use up some veggies, so I diced them all up, sauteed them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then put 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, then 1 cup veggie broth and let simmer until done. I'll bake up some fish and put it on top. nothing crazy!
Chicken Piccata with Lentil Salad
Adapted from both Cooks Illustrated and Food.com
Lentil Salad Ingredients
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
5 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Ingredients for the Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded out to 1/4 inch thickness
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon drained bottled capers, rinsed and chopped
Lentil Salad (Do #1 first, then work on the chicken!)
1. Place lentils and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Cover with 4 cups warm water and soak for 1 hour. While this is soaking go down to the chicken and complete that if you want to. After soak, drain well.
2. Heat oven to 325. Place drained lentils, 2 cups water, broth, garlic, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan. Cover and bake until lentils are tender but remain intact, 40 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk oil and vinegar together in large bowl.
3. Drain lentils well; remove and discard garlic and bay leaf. Add drained lentils, olives, mint and shallot to dressing and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Feta and serve with chicken.
Chicken Piccata
1. Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow pie plate. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Working in 2 batches, place the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or platter and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
2. Pour off the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the heat. Add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up and browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and the capers. Season with salt and pepper and heat just until the butter has melted. Serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the skillet sauce, topped with lemon slices and parsley.
Flank Steak with Horseradish Sauce
Adapted from whatscookingamerica.net
1 pound beef flank steak
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
Horseradish Sauce (see recipe below)
1. Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the flank steak with shallow diagonal cuts at 1-inch intervals, making diamond shapes. Repeat on other side of steak.
2. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and hot pepper sauce. Add prepared flank steak. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight, turning steaks occasionally. We have a food saver vacuum-marinater, so this took us about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet on high with a little olive oil. Take the meat out of the marinade and sear on both sides (sear until it doesn't stick anymore to the pan). Then put the skillet, with meat on it, in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or done.
Horseradish Sauce:
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Monday, August 8, 2011
Pasta Primavera... Looks who's cookin a meal this week!
This weekend was a hot one. I didn't much care to stand over a hot stove, so I optimized my time. I did manage to crank out two solid meals, a one-pot pasta primavera and some fixins for chicken salad (not the mayonnais-y kind, but the grilled kind). Also, we bought a LARGE amount of pork from Costo and Tater promised to cook said pork while I was at work Monday... So here's crossing my fingers that it'll not only be good, but ready by the time Lady's hungry. :-)
One-Pot Pasta Primavera
Adapted from August Vegetarian Times
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
8 oz. fusilli/spiral pasta (any short pasta will do)
2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small broccoli forets (3 cups)
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes will also be good here)
8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional, but highly recommended)
1. Combine oil, garlic and zest in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package in a larger than normal pot. Add squash and bell pepper about 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and veggies reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Return past amixture to pot and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil and oil mixture. Also stir in reserved cooking water. Stir around over low heat, then serve with parmesan.
You can also cool and serve warm or cold.
One-Pot Pasta Primavera
Adapted from August Vegetarian Times
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
8 oz. fusilli/spiral pasta (any short pasta will do)
2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small broccoli forets (3 cups)
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes (grape tomatoes will also be good here)
8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional, but highly recommended)
1. Combine oil, garlic and zest in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package in a larger than normal pot. Add squash and bell pepper about 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and veggies reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
3. Return past amixture to pot and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil and oil mixture. Also stir in reserved cooking water. Stir around over low heat, then serve with parmesan.
You can also cool and serve warm or cold.
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