Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, masking the more delicate flavors. Here it contains a bountiful amount of mushrooms and is served over chicken breasts.


Ingredients

* 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tips & Techniques)
* 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1 tablespoon(s) canola oil
* 1 medium shallot, minced
* 1 cup(s) thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
* 2 tablespoon(s) dry vermouth, or dry white wine
* 1/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
* 2 tablespoon(s) minced fresh chives, or scallion greens

Directions

1. Season chicken with pepper and salt on both sides.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once or twice and adjusting the heat to prevent burning, until brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
3. Add shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Pour in vermouth (or wine); simmer until almost evaporated, scraping up any browned bits, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and chives (or scallions); return to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan, turn to coat with sauce and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Tips & Techniques

It's difficult to find an individual chicken breast small enough for one portion. Removing the thin strip of meat from the underside of a 5-ounce breast — the "tender" — removes about 1 ounce of meat and yields a perfect 4-ounce portion. Wrap and freeze the tenders and when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry or for oven-baked chicken fingers.

Sole with Lemon Cream

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoon(s) butter
* 2 pound(s) sole fillets, cut to make 4 pieces
* 3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup(s) flour
* 3/4 cup(s) heavy cream
* Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
* 1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
* 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Sprinkle the sole with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Dust the sole with the flour and shake off any excess. Put the sole in the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 2 minutes longer. Remove the sole from the pan.

2. Add the cream and lemon zest to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and parsley. Serve the sauce over the fish.

3. Fish Alternatives: Other members of the flounder family, such as sand dab or fluke, will go well with the sauce, as will such mild fish fillets as trout, hake, or whiting.

4. Wine Recommendation: A ripe, full-flavored chardonnay with oak overtones will be well suited to the richness of this creamy dish. Try a bottle from California or Australia.

Steamed Mussels in a Tomato and Fennel Broth with Perfect French Fries

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 ounces small diced pancetta
* 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fennel
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced medium onion
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
* 2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 cup Pernod or dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 2 cups peeled and small diced tomato concasse
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
* 2 tablespoons anise flavored liqueur (recommended: Pernod)
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Set a very large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the pancetta and render until crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the fennel and saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and shallots and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. Add the and saute for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to medium-high and deglaze the pan with Pernod or white wine. Reduce the Pernod until nearly evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomato concasse, salt and crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and anise liqueur to the pan and stir once, cover with a lid, and cook until the mussels just begin to open, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the basil and parsley and stir the mussels. Serve the mussels in large, deep bowls, and serve with French fries on the side.

For the French Fries:

* 4 large russet or kinnebec potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 by 1/4-inch thick batons
* 2 quarts peanut oil
* Salt and pepper

Rinse cut potatoes in a large bowl with lots of cold running water until water becomes clear. Cover with water by 1-inch and cover with ice. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

In a deep-fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees F. Be sure not to fill the oil beyond the maximum fill line.

Drain ice water from cut fries and wrap potato pieces in a clean dishcloth or tea towel and thoroughly pat dry. Add fries, a handful at a time, to the hot oil. Fry, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are soft and limp and begin to turn a blond color, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use the basket to carefully remove fries from the oil and set aside to drain on paper towels. Let rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

When ready to serve the French fries, reheat the oil to 350 degrees F. Transfer the blanched potatoes to the hot oil and fry again, stirring frequently, until golden brown and puffed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to paper lined platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Aloo Pie (Trinidad)

Description
Ingredients

* 2 Cups Flour
* 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
* 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
* 1 Cup Water
* Olive Oil
* 4 Cups Water
* 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
* 1 Pound Potato -- peeled and cubed
* 1 Small Onion -- finely chopped
* 2 Cloves Garlic -- finely chopped
* 1 Large Green Onion -- finely chopped
* 2 Teaspoons Cumin
* 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala
* 1 Large Jalapeno -- finely chopped
* Salt And Pepper -- to taste
* Oil -- for deep frying

Directions Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Add enough water to form a dough and knead. Rub a little oil over dough and let rest while preparing filling. Bring water to a boil. Add salt and potatoes. Boil until tender. Drain. While still hot, mash with onion, garlic, green onion, cumin, masala, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Divide dough into 6 parts and knead for 1 minute to form a smooth ball. Let rest 5 minutes. Heat oil in saucepan. Roll out 1 portion of dough on a floured surface into a circle 5 inches in diameter. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle and fold into a semicircle. Seal and deep fry until golden on all sides. Drain and serve.

Baked Onion Chicken Thighs with Umeboshi and Shiso

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for the baking dish
1 large onion, minced
sea salt
fresh coarsely ground black pepper
10 umeboshi, pitted
20 shiso leaves, chopped, 1 tablespoon reserved
splash of sake
1 pound (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Serves 2 or 3


Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and shiso is a natural and traditional combination in Japan (especially in sushi), but the sauteed onions blended into the mixture give it a new and satisfying depth that permeates the chicken. Wonderful with hot rice, miso soup, and a small flask of chilled sake.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). In a heavy skillet over high heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, add the onion, and liberally salt and pepper. Saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Place the onion in the blender and add the umeboshi, shiso, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and blend (also add as much sake as the blender needs to do its work). Reserve about 3 tablespoons of this mixture in a small bowl.

In the same skillet, heat up the 2 remaining tablespoons of oil over maximum heat and fry the chicken until brown spots begin to appear. Transfer the chicken and the blended onion mixture to a large bowl and mix.

Apply or spray some olive oil to a baking dish, transfer the chicken to it, and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken, mix the reserved sauce through it, and return it to the oven for another few minutes before serving.

Serve on a warm plate, topped off with the chopped shiso.