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The first question that came to mind when I found this recipe is "what the heck is a gratinate?" Here's the definition according to the dictionary: gratinate - to cook with a covering of buttered crumbs or grated cheese until a crust or crisp surface forms. "Gratin" has more or less then same definition, so don't ask me how they're different.
Anyway, this is a rustic Italian dish from Lidia Bastianich that certainly fits the description: chicken and mushrooms covered in melted cheese and cooked in a tomato wine sauce.
The chicken is cooked on the stovetop low and slow to get it started and keep it tender, then the dish is finished in the oven to melt the cheese and thicken the sauce.
It's somewhat reminiscent of chicken parmesan, but without the fried crust and heavy red sauce. This dish is lighter while still fancy enough to serve for a Sunday dinner or special occasion. And completely delicious.
Chicken and Mushroom Gratinate
Serves 4
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 20
ounces total)
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
½ cup flour for dredging
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided, cut into cubes
1 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cup dry white wine
6 fresh sage leaves, shredded
12 small thin slices Fontina cheese, about 4 ounces
8 tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preheat oven to 425d.
Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to form 4
cutlets. Pound lightly to an even
thickness, then dredge in flour to lightly coat both sides. Salt and pepper each side. Set aside.
In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of
olive oil over medium heat. Add the
mushroom caps in a single layer and sauté, about 2 minutes per side, until
tender and browned. Remove and salt
lightly.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the olive oil remaining in
the pan and reduce heat to medium-low.
When the butter is melted, add the chicken cutlets in one layer and cook
gently for about 90 seconds, until very lightly colored with no browning. Turn cutlets over and spread a heaping
tablespoon of tomato sauce on top of each.
Arrange the mushroom caps over the chicken, overlapping to cover, then
add 3 small slices of Fontina on top of each cutlet, overlapping to cover.
Raise the heat to medium and sprinkle the red pepper
flakes into the sauce. Add the remaining
butter into the sauce. After the butter
melts add the wine and remainder of the tomato sauce around the cutlets (not
over them). Bring to a simmer, then drop
the sage into the sauce all around the pan.
Finally, sprinkle two tablespoons of shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano over
each cutlet.
Place the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes, then check
to see that the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened somewhat. Turn the broiler on and continue to bake for
3-4 minutes, watching carefully, until the cheese is browned to your liking (do
not let burn).
Serve immediately, with polenta, mashed potatoes or pasta
to soak up the sauce.
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