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Chicken Marsala with Pancetta & Cream

November 17, 2009 By 1 Comment

You can buy thin cutlets or ask your supermarket butcher to cut some for you. This recipe is easily doubled, but you’ll likely need to cook the chicken in batches.Serves two.
ingredient discovery
Ingredients pancetta dry Marsala chicken breast cutlets more
kosher salt black peppercorns all-purpose flour flat-leaf parsley
Olive oil
2 oz. pancetta (about a 1/4-inch thick slice), cut into a 1/4-inch dice
Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
4 thin chicken breast cutlets, about 1/2 lb. total
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper, preferably on the coarse side
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
2 to 4 Tbs. heavy cream
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.

Put the flour on a plate. Pat the cutlets dry. Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper. Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high. Add more olive oil, if needed, to get about 2 Tbs. fat in the pan.

When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flour on both sides (see Tips for moist sautéed chicken). Shake off the excess flour and immediately put the cutlet in the pan. Do the same with as many cutlets as will fit in the pan without touching. Sauté the cutlets, turning once, until browned on both sides; if thin, they should cook through in just a few minutes total. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate and continue sautéing the rest, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer these to the plate as well.

Pour off the excess fat. With the pan over medium-high heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter. Stir in the cream and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce. Return the chicken and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat. Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve with the sauce and a sprinkling of parsley, if you like.

From Fine Cooking 42, pp. 90

www.finecooking.com

January 1, 2001

Filed Under: Chicken

Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Torte

November 17, 2009 By 1 Comment

Be sure to wrap your springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil (or two layers of regular foil); even the best pans can let water in. This torte is delicious alone or with lightly sweetened whipped cream.Serves twelve.
1 Tbs. softened unsalted butter for the pan
1 recipe Basic Ganache
1 Tbs. instant espresso granules
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/8 oz. (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Generously butter a 10-inch springform pan and wrap the bottom and sides in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Have ready a roasting pan just big enough to accommodate the springform, and put a kettle of water on to boil.

Make the ganache. Dissolve the espresso powder in 1 Tbs. hot water and add it to the warm ganache still in the food processor. Process until fully incorporated, about 10 seconds. Transfer the espresso-flavored ganache to a large bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs, sugar, and flour at just under high speed until pale, light, and fluffy and at least doubled in volume (if not tripled), about 6 minutes. Add about one-third of the egg mixture to the ganache and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Add the remaining egg mixture and gently fold together until just combined and no obvious streaks of egg remain.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Set the pan inside the roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with 1 to 1-1/2 inches of boiling water. Bake until a dry crust forms on the top of the torte and the edges seem set but the center is still a bit wobbly when you jiggle it, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the torte from the water bath and its foil wrap. Cool the torte on a wire rack to room temperature and then refrigerate until cold and completely set, at least 3 hours or overnight.

To unmold, carefully remove the springform ring. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the torte. Invert the torte onto a baking sheet and remove the pan bottom; use a thin-bladed knife to help separate the torte and pan bottom if necessary. Invert the torte again onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Just before serving, put the confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon in a small fine strainer and sift over the top of the torte.

To cut the torte as cleanly as possible, dip your knife in hot water to heat the blade and wipe dry before each cut. Or for a cleaner cut, use unwaxed dental floss.

From Fine Cooking 91, pp. 69
January 16, 2008

Filed Under: Cakes

Penne with Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce

November 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Betsy generally sautes about 1/2 lb of andouille or spicy italian sausage first to add some meat.PenneTomato Vodka Sauce

This time  Betsy did the stovetop work in 2 flameware Tagine pots, and finished with a short oven baking in a cazuela.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. dried red chile flakes
1/3 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy cream
8 oz. dried penne, cooked and drained
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

In a large heavy-based sauté pan, (ceramic flameware works great) heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. (Saute meat if using-set aside).  Add more oil, then the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, oregano and chile flakes.

Add the broth and vodka to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Lower the heat slightly, add the cream and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the cooked penne to the pan, and toss to coat. Add the Parmigiano and toss over low heat just until the flavors meld and the pasta is heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsely, if using, and serve immediately.  Can bake or broil to brown the top.

From Fine Cooking Magazine
by Mark Scarbrough, Bruce Weinstein

Filed Under: Easy and Quick Meals, Pasta

Pork Chalupa Stew

November 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Chalupa

3 lb pork roast fat trimmed
10 oz pkg pinto beans soak overnight
4-5 cloves garlic minced
2 Tbl chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 – 4 oz. cans chopped green chili
pepper to taste

can add
cumin 1 tsp
1 t herbes de province
2-1/2 tsp salt

5 carrots peeled and sliced
4 single stalks celery sliced
1 can 14-oz tomatoes cut up include liquid
3 small zucchini sliced

1st 4 ingred in large dutch oven. Cover with water and cook covered low 3-4 hours
until meat and beans tender
cool slightly remove meat from bones . cut or shred meat and return. Add carrots, celery, tomatoes and liquid and cover. Cook until vegetables are tender. Last 10 minutes, add zucchini. Makes about 4 qts

Filed Under: Pork, Soups and Stews Tagged With: , ,