Salmon pan seared - finish in oven

 2 Salmon fillets 

Lemon juice

Butter and Olive oil

400 Oven

Room temp Salmon - pat dry - salt, pepper and a sprinkle of lemon juice. 

High heat pan - add Olive oil and butter

Add Salmon skin side up. Cook 4-5 minutes. Turn to sear sides - 1 minute each.  Turn to skin side down.  To oven for 3-4 minutes.  Final temperature s/b 140. Rest, covered 2-3 minutes.

Serve with lemon butter and herb of choice  I like dill  

Pilaf for two

 1/3 ccup Orzo

1/3 cup white rice

1/3 cup +. Onion, carrot, celery - fine dice

1 clove garlic fine dice

1 cup chicken stock

High heat pan - 2 T olive oil and 2T butter

Sauté vegetables three minutes. 

Add Orzo and sauté another three minutes. Vegetables should be translucent and Orzo browned. 

Add garlic and cook another two minutes. 

Add rice and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes. 

Chicken Spaghetti With Red Sauce

Ingredients 

• ▢ 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts 
• ▢ 2 tsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp oregano
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped onion
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic 
• ▢ 1 28 oz. diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 8 oz. tomato sauce
• ▢ 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional 
• ▢ 2 tsp sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil
• ▢ parmesan cheese 

Marinade for Chicken:

• ▢ 1/4 cup olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 tsp oregano
• ▢ 1/2 tsp garlic salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinade for Chicken:

• Mix together marinade ingredients and add cut up chicken
• Marinade for 30-60 minutes

Tomato Sauce

• Saute onions and garlic in olive oil.
• Add in tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes and fresh chopped basil. Simmer for 20 minutes
• While sauce is simmering, cook marinaded chicken (drained) in a frying pan until cooked through
• Add chicken into sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve over pasta
• Garnish with freshly chopped basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Piccata Sauce

 

• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained

• Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and shallots and cook for about 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the olive oil and flour; cook while whisking for about 5 minutes. 
• Add the wine and chicken broth; cook until slightly thickened.
• Stir in the lemon juice and capers

Creamed onions

 

• 14.4 ounces frozen pearl onions
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon flour (+)
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

• In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the frozen pearl onions, chicken broth, sherry, bay leaf and thyme leaves. Bring to a low simmer and allow onions to thaw, approximately 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy and cream and flour. Combine with the onions mixture, stirring until no streaks are left.
• Continue to simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Pickled onions

 

• medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or additional white vinegar
• 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

1. Pack the onions into a 1-pint mason jar or similar heat-safe vessel. Place the jar in the sink, to catch any splashes of hot vinegar later.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, both vinegars, maple syrup, salt, and pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.
3. Use a butter knife or spoon to press the onions down into the vinegar and pop any air bubbles in the jar. Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes), at which point they should be sufficiently pickled for serving.
4. Cover and refrigerate leftover pickled onions for later. Quick-pickled onions are best consumed within three days, but they keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Chicken and Duxelles

 

• 1 pound 

  fresh white button mushrooms

• 2 small shallots 
• 1 clove  

  garlic

• parsley

• 4 tablespoons 

  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

• 1/2 teaspoon 

  kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

These quantities make quit a bit. Enough to stuff 3-4 chicken breast halves. 

Clean your mushrooms with a brush. 

I use an egg slicer to chop the mushrooms. Stem up - slice. Pick up and turn the sliced mushroom, slice again.  I then chop the sliced mushrooms with a knife to get a nicely diced product. 

I rarely have shallots at hand, so I use about 1/2 an onion finely diced. 

Melt two T butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté till translucent. 

Add minced garlic and sauté for a minute or two. 

Add rest of the butter, mushrooms, salt, pepper and some dry parsley. 

Turn heat to medium low+ and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Trying to get mushrooms to give up their moisture without browning them. May take longer depending upon quantity. 

Cool the mushrooms before stuffing chicken. 

I use them to stuff butterflied chicken breast that has been flattened. Roll and tie the breast. Pan fry in some butter for color and finish in a 400* oven.