Chicken Piccata

This is one of those classic chicken recipes that seems to have fallen out of favor.  It is rarely ever seen on the menus of restaurants.  I have no idea why because, according to my family, it is one of the best ways to prepare chicken.  Using the lowly boneless, skinless chicken breast paired with a silky, rich, yet light lemony sauce to accompany it... there's nothing better.  Served with a side of pasta, rice or boiled baby reds or smashed potatoes, this dish really delivers a "wow" factor. 

This recipe was inspired by the great folks over at America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Illustrated, however, I've changed up a couple of the details.  ATK/Cooks calls for chicken that is cut into medallions and they are not coated with anything, but salt and pepper before browning.  We prefer a bit of a crunch, but I didn't want to coat it with a batter.  Instead, I chose Panko Bread Crumbs and simply gave the chicken a quick dredge before frying.  It makes a nice difference.

Secondly, the Cooks Illustrated version calls for ordinary chicken stock.  I used to use this all the time as well until I discovered the organic, concentrated stock from Williams Sonoma.  It is absolutely wonderful.  I use it to make chicken stock and I've also used it to make gravy.  There is a beef and turkey version too.  A little spendy, but in my opinion, when you really want that chicken flavor, it is far superior to stock.  You can make your own concentrate by reducing your chicken stock down to a miniscule amount.  I make tons of stock in my Pressure cooker and will reduce it down a great deal in order to draw out more flavor.  However, the Williams-Sonoma stuff is really handy.  Just measure a Tablespoon into a measuring cup, mix with a cup of water and you're done.  It's that easy!

Finally, this recipe calls for quite a bit of lemon slices and lemon juice.  If you can find Meyer Lemons, use them.  They are milder than regular lemons and add a lovely, delicate balance.  Otherwise, a regular, ripe lemon does just fine.

Chicken Piccata
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Salt & pepper
4 TBS vegetable oil
7 TBS unsalted butter, divided
2 large, ripe lemons
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups chicken stock
2 TBS Capers, drained
2 TBS Fresh Parsley, plus a bit more for serving

Heat oven to 170 degrees. 

Juice one whole lemon, reserve.  Cut the second lemon from pole to pole and cut off the end pieces.  Slice lemon half into very slim slices.  Use the other cut half for additional juice to make 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice.

Butterfly each chicken breast and cut each piece in half.  Pound chicken to about 1/4 inch thick.  Salt and pepper both sides lightly. 

In a large skillet, add 2 TBS oil and 2 TBS butter.  Heat to medium high.  Dredge chicken pieces in Panko bread crumbs, pressing down so they adhere well.  Fry half the chicken pieces until browned, about 2 minutes.  Flip chicken pieces and brown on the other side for an additional few minutes until they are cooked through.  Add the remaining 2 TBS oil and 2 TBS butter for the second batch of chicken and repeat.  Plate the pieces as they cook and keep in a warm oven set at 170 degrees.

When the chicken has finished cooking, add the shallots to the skillet.  If more butter is needed to sautee the shallots, feel free to add a bit.  Stir quickly for about a minute until they begin to soften.  Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and lemon slices.  Bring liquid to a simmer and continue simmering until the broth reduces to about 1 1/2 cups - around 10 minutes.  Add the capers and parsley to the stock, then add 3 TBS of the remaining butter and swirl off the heat until the butter is melted.  Plate the chicken over pasta, rice or other and ladle the sauce on top. 

Chicken Shawarma

One of the nicest, and healthiest ways to enjoy a freshly baked Greek Pita, is to wrap it around marinated and grilled chicken.  Topped with Tzatziki sauce, mellow hummus, some tomato, lettuce, thinly sliced red onion and anything else you think might sound yummy - this sandwich is a traditional quick lunch served in the Mediterranean, but is now found in many shops throughout the world.  In Australia, my husband loved them with pickled turnips or beets and my son enjoys a dill pickle spear right down the middle.  Anyway you want them is fair game for eating!

In many shops you will find boneless, whole chickens stacked neatly on a skewer and as it spins against the heat source or charcoal, it cooks to a crisp, juicy goodness.  The sandwich shop owner will slice it thinly into a tray and use it in these delicious wrap sandwiches.  Most of us don't have access to one of these rotating roasters, so we improvise by marinating and grilling our own chicken.  I use breast, but a great combination is thigh and breast meat together. 

Easy to make and even nicer to eat, these satisfy particularly nicely on hot, summer days. 

Just follow the recipe for my traditional Greek Pita breads and warm them over the grill or in a skillet just before wrapping.

Chicken Shawarma
Feeds 6

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 large, ripe lemon, juiced
1/3 cup olive oil
Greek seasoning spices (I use Penzey's blend), OR if you want to use dried herbs, measure a tsp of oregano, a tsp of basil and a half tsp of dill weed)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Place chicken slices in a gallon sized zip lock bag.  In a medium bowl combine juice, oil, garlic and all the spices.  Whisk until smooth with a wire whip.  Pour contents into the bag of chicken and seal up the bag.  Squeeze the bag gently to ensure the chicken is equally coated with the mixture.  Refrigerate for at least an hour, or as long as overnight.  Mixture can be frozen at this time.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat.  Lay down a piece of foil on top of the grates and spray with a quick coating of PAM, or oil lightly with a brush and vegetable oil.  Grill the chicken quickly, turning when browned.  Cook until thoroughly cooked - about 7 minutes. 

During the last minute, lay down your pita's on the gril and turn them over after about 30 seconds.  Heat on the second side for about a minute, then remove.

Assemble the sandwiches by spreading a thin amount of hummus down the middle of the pita.  Pile on as much chicken as you wish, then dollop with Tzatziki sauce.  Finish off with your favorite condiments like:  Tomato, lettuce, thinly sliced red onion, thin sliced cucumber, thin sliced pickled beets or even a dill pickle spear or slices. 

Use wax paper or tin foil to wrap and hold your sandwich.  Enjoy!

Greek Style Pita Bread

Greek Pita bread is somewhat different than the traditional "pocket bread" you see most often at the store.  Greek Pitas are softer, with a distinctive chew, slightly more substantive than a dry round disc that has a pocket.  Traditional Middle East pitas are good, but when you're going Greek, then this recipe is a must do. 

I used to buy my Greek Pita whenever we'd do our Chicken Shawarma, but this time, my store was out and I decided to try a new recipe that was far more delicious than I could have ever imagined.

This recipe is truly Greek.  It is adapted from a famous Greek chef named Vefa and she is so popular in Greece that she even has her own Television show and best selling cookbook, Vefa's Kitchen.  Think of her as a Greek Paula Deen, minus all that butter!

This recipe couldn't be easier or more delicious as it was originally written.  I have made it even easier by using the food processor.  Instead of baking them, I just cooked them a couple minutes on each side using a cast iron skillet.  Yup - it's just that simple!  Give them a try.

Vefa's Greek Pita Bread

Makes 8

3.5 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp sugar

2 TBS olive oil

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of water, room temperature

Cornmeal for dusting, about 1/2 cup (I used White Lily Cornmeal Flour as I didn't have cornmeal on hand)

1/4 cup vegetable oil for grilling

In a food processor, combine flour, salt, yeast and sugar.  Give it a few pulses to mix thoroughly.  Turn the food processor to a steady on and add 1 cup of the water and then the oil in a slow, steady stream.  Dough should begin to form a ball.  Add more water until the dough is very moist.  I usually find the last 1/4 cup is not necessary.  If the dough becomes too wet, process in more flour.  Your dough should be very sticky.

Oil a medium sized bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a cozy corner for about 30 minutes. 

Generously flour your counter and turn out dough.  Divide dough into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a round.  Cover with wrap and let sit for at least 5 minutes.  In the meantime, begin to heat an 8-10" cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.  Next, grab a clean kitchen towel or several sheets of paper towels to use to hold your rounds.  Set aside.  You'll transfer the grilled pitas to the towels to stay warm and keep soft.

Flour your counter a bit more, only this time use some corn meal and roll each ball into a flat round, about 8-10 inches across.  Dough should be very sticky, so make sure you are dusting and lifting off the bottom to prevent it from sticking to the counter.  When it is rolled out, prick the dough with a fork all over, being careful not to prick all the way through. 

Using a pastry brush (I use silicone), lightly oil the skillet with vegetable oil.  Add the round of rolled out dough and let it cook for about 2 minutes.  Turn dough over and let cook two minutes more.  If your skillet becomes too hot, turn the heat down to medium, but you want it hot enough to give it a dark, golden color on one side and very dark, nearly burnt spots on the second side. 

After each piece has been grilled, stack them and wrap in a dish towel to cool.  They will remain soft.  These freeze very well after they've cooled completely. 

PS  I use fabric softener with my kitchen towels, so instead of risking the pita's tasting like Downy, I used a few paper towels and then while they were still somewhat warm, I put them in a plastic bag with the bag unsealed to cool completely.  They should stay soft, not get soggy.

 

Bandon Boatworks Cranberry Bread

Did you know that Oregon is one of the premier Cranberry growing spots in the USA?  Well, you know it if you have ever traveled through the Oregon Coast.  The Cranberry bogs are located just outside of Bandon, Oregon and unfortunately, many have now sold out to the corporate giants, but there are still a few, small bogs around where you can buy your Cranberries fresh!  Each fall, there is a wonderful Cranberry Festival and if you've never been to this part of the Oregon Coast, you've missed out on some of the most beautiful scenic coastlines in the world.

A great seafood restaurant called The Bandon Boatworks is credited for this incredible, delicious bread.  When you walk in, there is a large platter of slices and guests are encouraged to nibble on one as you wait for your table.  It is, the best cranberry bread I've ever had, but they would never give out their recipe!

Loaded with fresh cranberries and infused with a hint of orange
zest - this recipe makes 3 BIG loaves and screams "Christmas!"

How did I get this one you ask?  Well... that's a bit of a story.  My husband and I were traveling through Kerrville, Texas and had dinner at a local restaurant.  The waitress asked us where we were from and we said we had just moved from Oregon.  She then said she was from Bandon, OR of all places - a gorgeous fishing village on the coast, best known for its seafood, a wonderful dairy and cranberry bogs. 

The conversation fell on the most obvious - the cranberry bread at the Bandon Boatworks and she told me her sister-in-law was a cook there and had the recipe for the bread.  She offered to mail it to me and about a month later, it arrived!  I have coveted this ever since. 

The moral of the story?  It truly IS a small world!  Here's the original recipe!  Perfect for the holidays or any time of year!)  Thank you Laurie, from the Cowboy Steakhouse in Kerrville Texas for sharing this authentic Oregon recipe!

Makes 3 standard sized loaves.  The cranberries MUST remain frozen and they are added into the batter in increments.  Frozen cranberries will not sink to the bottom of baking, so if your berries become defrosted in the process, refreeze them until the very last minute.

Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 sticks of cold butter, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups Orange juice
3 1/2 cups frozen, chopped fresh cranberries (buy bags on sale during the holidays and freeze them!)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Zest from 1 large orange or two medium ones.

Topping:  A few TBS of Orange juice and some course sugar for sprinkling after baking

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 farenheit.  Grease and flour 3 standard sized bread pans or 5 small bread pans.

Rough chop the cranberries with a knife and return the berries to the freezer as you assemble the bread.  Do NOT use a food processor.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large, wide mixing bowl.  Cut in the butter using your finger tips until butter bits are the size of small peas. 

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, juice, vanilla and orange peel.  Add to the flour mixture slowly.  Use a spatula to blend, but do not over mix!  The batter will be stiff.  If you like nuts, mix them in at this time.

Mix 2 cups of the frozen cranberries into the batter and fill tins to about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the remaining frozen cranberries on the tops of the loaves and push them slightly into the batter.  Bake loaves immediately.  Cranberries will sink a bit through the baking process.  Cranberries MUST stay frozen, so work quickly. 

Bake all three pans for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  (if using small pans, begin checking for doneness after 45 minutes or so).  Check for doneness using a toothpick.  Once loaves have been removed from the oven, let them rest in the pans for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool. 

Top each loaf with orange juice lightly brushed on.  Then sprinkle the course sugar over the top evenly.  I like to use a decorative crystal sugar at Christmas.  It adds a nice sparkle to the tops of the loaves.  Let fully cool and wrap tightly in saran wrap.  These stay frozen very nicely for a month.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce

Gooey, creamy and oh so good!

 

Nothing is as yummy on a cold winters' day than to sit down to something warm, satisfying and oh, so delicious.  One of our favorites is this version of Chicken Enchiladas.  This creamy dish is so easy to put together using a can of good quality Tomatillo Sauce, rich cheese and your choice of mild or spicy jalapeno's.  Top them at the table with your favorites, sliced avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, black olives, green onions and anything else you like.

 

Ingredients:

 

1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream

1 brick cream cheese (low fat works nicely too), softened at room temperature

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 tsp talt

1-2 small cans of jalapenos, your choice mild or hot.  Save a few to top the enchiladas before baking

1 med (14 oz approximately) can Tomatillo Sauce (or green Enchilada sauce with Tomatillo's as the main ingredient)

12 8" flour tortillas

3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

 

Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 farenheit.

 

With a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and the cream until smooth and fluffy.  Add chicken, onion, jalapenos and salt and fold together until fully blended. 

 

Lightly butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Using more of the tomatillo sauce, spread a very think layer of the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.  Using a Tablespoon of tomatillo sauce, spread each tortilla with sauce.  Add 1/4 cup of the chicken cream cheese mixture and roll up tightly.  Place each rolled tortilla in the dish with the seam down.  Finish off the chicken mixture and fill the pan tightly.

 

Use remaining tomatillo sauce and cover the enchiladas.  Add more jalapenos if you wish, dotting the tops of the enchiladas evenly.  Cover dish with foil and bake in oven approximately 20 minutes. 

 

Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer.  Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.

 

Topping ideas:

• Shredded lettuce
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Sour Cream
• Black olives
• Green onion slices
• Salsa

 



Fresh Pineapple Pie

Fresh Pineapple Pie, warm from the oven!

The other day, we were coming back through town and noticed a roadside stand with beautiful fruits and veggies.  On the truck were some Pineapple that was grown in Mexico.  The fruit was gorgeous and golden and smelled heavy with the perfume of pineapple. 

We never eat a whole one ourselves, so I thought I'd try a pie that my Mother used to make from canned Pineapple.  It turned out perfect really... well, except for the weaving of the lattice crust.  The filling was fairly hot when I poured it into the pie tin.  Next time, I would wait for the filling to cool thoroughly before putting it in the pie crust.  The lattice strips will melt, otherwise and break as you try to lift and weave. 

I used the pie crust recipe I posted here with the Vodka - only I doubled it for the two crust pie.  It was melt-in-your-mouth tender, flakey and had the BEST flavor.  This is how pie crust should be made.  In my hot weather area, it's important that I pre-chill butter, shortening, water, vodka and even the flour and salt in the mixing bowl about 30 minutes until I start putting it together.  I then chill the dough again after I've mixed the dough and prior to rolling it out.  Really helps control your pie making process.

ENJOY!

Gorgeous crust, but make sure to weave your lattice AFTER the filling has cooled!

Ingredients & Directions:
1 Whole, ripe pineapple
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
2.5 TBS corn starch
1 TBS Lemon juice
4 TBS cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup cold milk
2-3 TBS sugar

1.  Peel the pineapple.  I slice the outer layer off, then cut off each end.  Use a smaller knife to cut out the biggest "eyes" of the fruit.  Next, slice the pineapple in circles, about 3/4 inch thick.  Using a small paring knife, cut out the inner core from each slice.  Then, cut the pineapple rings into no bigger than 1/2 inch segments.

2.  Use half the pineapple chunks and put them in the food processor.  Pulse several times until the fruit is pureed.  Let puree and chunks drain in a strainer placed over a bowl for about 10 minutes.

3.  In a large, deep skillet or pot, add puree and chunks of pineapple, sugars, and salt.  Stir to combine over medium heat until mixture begins to steam and bubble.  Dissolve corn starch in the water, and pour into mixture.  Let mixture come to a simmer and slowly stir it over medium heat for about 5 minutes until thick.  Stir in lemon juice.  Remove from heat and add butter slices.  Stir to melt in the butter and set pan aside to cool thoroughly.  (barely lukewarm is OK)

4.  As the mixture is cooling, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

5.  Prepare the dough using a double recipe of pie crust found HERE.  Roll out 1/2 of the dough to a circle, large enough to overlap your pie tin by about 1/2 inch. 

5.  Add the pineapple filling and start adding the top lattice crust.  Once the top crust is on, crimp or pinch the edges of the crust.  Brush top with milk and sprinkle with a generous dose of sugar. 

6.  Bake the pie in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes.  Turn pie halfway through the baking time.  The filling should be very hot and the crust should be a beautiful, golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream! 

A Sausage Sizzle with New England Style Hot Dog Buns

They almost look like their smiling!  Made with New England
Style Hot Dog buns, and topped with grilled veggies.

Back when we lived in Australia, one of my favorite things was to go to the local hardware store or the kids' Soccer game and indulge in an Australian tradition - the Sausage Sizzle.  It's really nothing special, but that's the beauty of them.  Delicious Australian sausages, perfect in their blandness, grilled over coals and dropped in slice of plain, white bread with a few grilled onions scattered on top. 

Here at home, we have a beautiful butcher shop that specializes in only pork.  He creates some of the most gorgeous bacons and sausages you've ever seen.  His pork chops are cut right from high quality pigs, raised with care.  I love that place.

I love how their coiled like a snail shell.  It is a style you
don't see a lot anymore.  Delish!

This past weekend, we picked up an Italian Sausage ring.  The label said Italian/Parmesan and that sounded good.  What I didn't expect was how good it tasted. 

I decided I'd make some New England Style Hot Dog Buns using my bun pan from King Arthur Flour.  I also used their recipe found here.  I am not overly impressed by the recipe actually.  They turn out a rather heavy bun, a bit too bready for my tastes.  I normally make them using my Belles Hamburger Buns Part Deux recipe, found here.  Just remember that the KAF recipe for the buns calls for 3 cups of flour and the burger buns recipe calls for almost double, so, just use 1/2 of the dough for the buns.

Still, the dinner was superb and the end result was awesome.  I grilled some onions and thinly sliced green pepper to top off the sandwiches and my husband loved them.  There was just enough sausage left over today that he could whip out a piece of white bread and have a bit of an Aussie Sausage Sizzle for lunch. 

About the Hot Dog Buns and Pan

I guess this comes from growing up out West all my life, but I never knew there was such a thing as a New England style roll.  I always thought of the traditional hot dog bun as the "go to" bun for dogs.  Back in New England, you can pull up along a roadside stand and order up a Lobster Roll.  Succulent lobster tail, chopped into large chunks and mixed with mayo and a bit of celery.  Who knew Hot Dog Buns came like this?  Not me!

The buns fresh out of the oven before flipping them out.

I loved the idea of them, so I found a pan on King Arthur Flour's website and ordered it.  I'm not big on "one-off" pans, but I'm always glad I have this one.  You have to let your dough rise for the second time in the pan and then cover it with a big, heavy lid when it goes into the oven to bake.  I used a cookie sheet, with stacks of cast iron skillets that were oven proof.  It did the job perfectly.

Slice each one at the depression, then slice the bun right down
the middle.  Grill the sides of the bun lightly with a bit of butter
to bring out the flavor and crispyness.

Once the rolls are done baking, you flip them out of the pan and cut them in each depression.  You then slice them right down the middle, almost all the way through, but not quite. You should lightly butter each side and grill them to give them the best flavor.  SO GOOD!