Creamy Tarragon Chicken Medallions

Ingredients

450 g chicken cutlets
1/4 tsp pepper
pinch salt
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth
1/4 cup whipping cream (35%)
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp grainy mustard

Honey Mustard Veggies

2 tbsp olive oil
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
255 g green beans, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp liquid honey
1 tbsp grainy mustard

Method

1. Sandwich chicken between plastic wrap; using meat mallet or heavy-bottomed saucepan, pound chicken to 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
2. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, turning once, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Add wine and broth. Cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate and keep warm.
4. Boil pan juices until reduced to 1/2 cup. Whisk in cream, tarragon and mustard. Cook until thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 2 minutes. Serve over chicken.
5. Make the veggies. In nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook sweet potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes.
6. Add green beans. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 2 minutes.
8. Drain. Toss with honey and mustard. Serve with chicken.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Complete Chicken Cookbook

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Today’s Comic

Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 whole piece of fillet of beef, preferably the middle part (about 2 lb)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup butter or oil
1 small glass brandy
1 bay leaf
1 pinch thyme (optional)
salt
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 oz fresh mushrooms, or 1-1/2 tablespoons dried mushrooms, soaked in water, squeezed dry and sliced
mushrooms and parsley to garnish

Method

1. Put the beef in a bowl, add the white wine, and leave to marinate overnight.
2. Melt in a pan half the butter, add the brandy, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to taste.
3. Add the onion and cook slowly until golden.
4. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until done. Set aside.
5. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade, and make an incision along the narrow side with a sharp knife.
6. Stuff with the mushroom mixture, seal the two ends with 2 pieces of meat from the inside of the fillet, and tie the meat with string to keep the stuffing inside.
7. Brown the fillet on all sides over high heat in the remaining butter or oil, baste it with some of the marinade, cover the pan, lower the heat, and continue cooking for about 40 minutes — or less, according to taste.
8. Alternatively the fillet may be cooked in the oven. Baste with the cooking juices from time to time.
9. Serve the steak sliced, with the cooking juices, and garnish with whole mushrooms sauteed in butter, and parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Cook’s Book

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Today’s Comic

Snapper with Citrus and Fennel Salad

Ingredients

4 small radishes, sliced paper-thin
1/2 small fennel bulb—halved, cored and shaved paper-thin
1/2 small red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 tablespoon finely shredded mint
1 grapefruit
1 navel orange
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless red snapper fillets

Method

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. In a large bowl, toss the radishes, fennel, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, chives and mint.
3. Using a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit and orange, removing all of the bitter white pith.
4. Working over the bowl, cut between the membranes and release the sections into the bowl. Squeeze the membranes over the bowl.
5. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice to the bowl and season the salad with salt and pepper.
6. Set the fish on a well-oiled, sturdy baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Broil 6 inches from the heat for 4 minutes, on one side only, just until white throughout.
8. Using a spatula, transfer the fish to plates and serve with the salad.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Chef Daniel Boulud

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Today’s Comic

Braised Sweetbread with Saffron

Ingredients

1 veal sweetbread (pancreas, or “heart”)
1 lemon
all-purpose flour, for dusting unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
1 glass of sweet white wine
6 tbsp chicken stock
generous pinch saffron strands
6 tbsp heavy cream
salt
black pepper

Pasta

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 free-range eggs
3 free-range egg yolks
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt

Method

1. Make the pasta. Mix all the ingredients by hand or in a mixer to make the dough. Let rest until needed.
2. Put the sweetbread in a pan of cold water, add salt and the juice of half a lemon, then simmer for about 7 minutes. Let cool.
3. Drain the sweetbread and trim off all the sinew, then break it up into nuggets. Dust in a little flour and then panfry over medium-high heat in 1/2 tablespoon butter and the oil until golden.
4. Remove the sweetbread nuggets and set them aside, then drain the excess fat from the pan.
5. Place pan over medium heat and add a knob of fresh butter, then the shallots and carrots. Sweat for a few moments, then deglaze the pan with the wine, and boil to reduce.
6. Add the chicken stock, saffron, and cream, then put the sweetbread nuggets back in the pan and simmer gently until fully cooked, basting and turning frequently. Check the seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon if necessary.
7. Roll out the pasta dough and cut it into ribbons. Cook in plenty of boiling water, then drain and toss in a little butter.
8. Serve the sweetbread in deep bowls with the pasta and plenty of the rich creamy sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

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Today’s Comic

Curried Chicken Stew

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed and sliced into thin strips
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)

Method

1. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add the chicken and sauté until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, curry, cumin, turmeric, ginger, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and add the yogurt and cilantro. Stir to mix well.
5. To serve, divide among 4 individual plates.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Cooking for Healthy Living

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Today’s Comic