Chicken Gaston Gerard

Last Year's Post: Grilled Shrimp with Cucumber Horseradish Dipping Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Grilled Shrimp Greek Salad

I've been wanting to try this recipe for over a year, ever since The Lawyer and I took a geat trip to France.  While we were in Burgundy I learned about the classic regional dish called "Poulet (poolay) Gaston Gerard", which translates to "Chicken Gaston Gerard".  It was created by the wife of the mayor of Dijon (Madame Gaston Gerard) in 1930 to commemorate a visit by the famous French "Prince of Gastronomy" Curnonsky.  If you're a foodie geek like me, that story alone is enough to get you hooked.  If not, maybe you'll get hooked when I tell you the dish includes a mustard (Dijon, of course) cream sauce with Gruyere cheese.  Now are you interested?  I mean, how could it taste bad?  Cardboard would taste good with that sauce.

I did some research and discovered that although there are some small variations from recipe to recipe, the standard ingredients are chicken, Dijon mustard, Gruyere cheese, creme fraiche or heavy cream or half in half, and butter,  Pretty simple.  Many recipes call for bone-in chicken pieces but I prefer to work with boneless skinless chicken just for the ease of cooking and eating.  I found truly giant chicken breasts at the store so I first cut them in half horizontally to form thinner chicken cutlets and then again crosswise to make 8 total pieces that were about 3"x 3" - much easier and faster to cook. Can you believe all this came from two chicken breasts?  The chickens must have been the size of small turkeys.

The recipe is surprising fast and easy.  First you brown the chicken, then place it in a casserole dish and make the sauce in the same saute pan.  I used half and half instead of heavy cream, and the resulting sauce was slightly thickened but probably thinner than you would expect from a sauce that contains cheese. I think it's probably because the sauce contains less cheese than a normal "cheese sauce" so the flavor of the mustard can shine.  (After all, it is from Dijon France.)  That was perfectly OK with me, but if you want your sauce thicker I would use heavy cream and simmer it for a little while longer, or maybe add a little more cheese.  The predominant tastes in the sauce are mustard, cheese, and cream in that order.  It tastes very French. The sauce is then poured over the chicken and quickly browned under the broiler.

It's wonderful served with rice pilaf, mushrooms and peas, or farro with asparagus tips.  I think it's certainly company-worthy and I would call it a special occasion meal if for no other reason than the cheese and cream probably take it out of your weekly rotation.  It would make a great birthday meal, for example.  And the story alone is worth it.  I wonder what that Curnonsky guy thought?

printable recipe
Chicken Gaston Gerard

Serves 4

2 very large or 4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream or half and half

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese

¼ cup dry bread crumbs (Panko preferred)

Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets, then cut in half crosswise (if the breasts are very large) to make relatively thin pieces of chicken that are approximately 3” wide by 2-3” long.  You should have 8 pieces either way.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat a sauté pan to medium-high and melt the butter.  Brown the chicken on the first side (approximately 4-5 minutes), then flip the chicken and reduce the heat to low.  Add bay leaf, thyme and white wine. Cook, covered, until the chicken is browned on the second side and fully cooked through, approximately 6-7 minutes.  Adjust cooking time depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces.  Do not overcook or the chicken may become dry.

Preheat a broiler.  Remove chicken from the sauté pan and place in a shallow casserole dish coated with cooking spray.   Discard bay leaf and thyme from the sauté pan and return to medium-high heat.  Add the cream and cook until it starts bubbling, then remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and all but 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese.  Pour the sauce over the chicken, add the rest of the grated cheese and the bread crumbs to the top, and place under the broiler for 30 seconds or so to brown.  Watch closely so the top doesn’t burn.

Excellent served with rice pilaf, mushrooms and peas, or warm farro with asparagus tips.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese - All Grown Up

Last Year's Post: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Roasted Squash

Two Years Ago:  Lemon-Roasted Halibut with Lentils and Tomatoes

We had tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches umpteen times as kids - canned soup and water, plus white bread and pasteurized cheese slices.  Easy, quick, cheap, and something every kid will eat.  So when I came across these recipes I had to laugh - it was like childhood all over again except at warp speed.  I was first attracted to the homemade fresh cucumber pickles on the toasted cheese sandwiches - both the fact that they're freshly made, and that they're on a cheese sandwich in the first place.  The recipe suggested that the sandwiches go great with tomato soup, so I dug out my favorite roasted tomato soup recipe and voila!  Third grade lunch, all grown up.

One of the interesting things about the tomato soup recipe is that you can make it year-round with whatever plum tomatoes you find in the produce section because they're roasted to bring out their flavors, not to mention combined with chicken broth, tomato paste, red wine and a touch of cream.  How can you go wrong? It's a full-bodied, slightly chunky tomato soup that clearly has never seen the inside of a can.  I always use low-sodium products whenever possible, and they make a big difference in the sodium level of this recipe because chicken broth and tomato paste are both high in sodium if you use the regular products.  If you use low sodium products you'll need to add a little salt at the end but that's OK.  Definitely don't add salt until you taste the soup either way.

The cheese sandwich is equally interesting - dark rye (or pumpernickel) bread, sharp white cheddar cheese, mustard, and those homemade pickles.  The fresh cucumber pickles could also be served on any roast beef or pastrami sandwich (even burgers or brats) and are worth printing the recipe in and of themselves - fresh cucumbers briefly marinated in white wine vinegar, sugar, horseradish, Dijon, and fresh dill. 

Together with the dark rye and white cheese they have a Scandinavian feel.

We recently had this combination on a chilly, rainy day and really enjoyed the flavors.  If you made the soup in advance it would be a great and fast weeknight meal.

* * click here for a printable Roasted Tomato Soup recipe * *

Roasted Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Note: because the tomatoes are roasted to bring out the flavors, this recipe can be made at any time of the year.

1.5 lbs fresh plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
¼ teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup dry red wine
¼ cup heavy cream
1/4 cup low sodium tomato paste
Sugar to taste (approx 2 teaspoons, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes)
Salt and pepper to taste (approx 1 teaspoon salt if using low sodium tomato paste and low sodium chicken broth)


Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Core tomatoes and halve lengthwise. Place cut side down on a shallow baking sheet with sides and brush generously with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until the edges are charred, about 20 minutes. Scrape tomatoes, oil and herbs from pan into a food processor and process until not quite smooth.

In a saucepan, cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in roasted tomato puree, broth, and wine, then whisk in tomato paste. Add the cream while whisking. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring soup to a simmer. Thin with additional chicken broth if desired.

* * click here for a printable Cheese Sandwich and Pickles recipe * *

Open-Faced Cheese Sandwiches with Fresh Cucumber Pickles

Makes 4 sandwiches

Note: these cucumber pickles would also be great on ham or roast beef sandwiches, or burgers and brats.

½ English cucumber, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
4 slices dark rye or pumpernickel bread
4 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
Butter and Dijon mustard


Place cucumber slices in a strainer; sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat well. Let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine vinegar, sugar, dill, 1 teaspoon mustard, and horseradish in mixing bowl. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let cucumbers stand a minimum of five minutes, or cover and chill up to one day. Cucumbers will softer slightly as they marinate.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with Dijon. Heat 2 teaspoons of butter in a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Add bread, mustard side up, and top each slice with a slice of cheese. Toast until cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown and crisp on the bottom.

Divide sandwiches among four serving plates, top with cucumbers, and serve.

Pasta Primavera

Last Year's Post: Special Brunch - Egg Strudel

Pasta Primavera literally means "spring pasta" and it's one of the first dishes I think of in spring.  It's characterized by light and fresh flavors, aromatic herbs, and beautiful, colorful vegetables.  Although many versions have a heavy cream sauce, somehow that doesn't seem like such a great idea when swimsuit season is around the corner.  This version is originally from Cooking Light magazine and although the sauce tastes very luxurious, it's great to know that it fits within a healthy lifestyle.  The sauce contains a small of amount of cream and white wine which both add to the rich flavor without adding a lot of calories or fat. Lemon juice, garlic, grated fresh Parmesan and lots of parsley and basil make the sauce incredibly flavorful and fresh-tasting.   Some pasta primavera versions also add shrimp or chicken, but the traditional version is meatless.  Feel free to add either if you want a more substantial meal, but I like it just as it is.

Since vegetables are the focus, it's important that they're beautiful and perfectly fresh.  Baby vegetables are particularly appropriate in this dish, such as the tiny asparagus tips and miniature bell peppers that I found.  If you can find tiny carrots or pattypan squash they would be great also,  or feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables for any of the ones listed in the recipe.

Along the same lines, feel free to substitute your favorite type of the pasta for the bow ties - I just thought they looked festive.  The pasta, vegetables and sauce are tossed together for a minute or so over medium heat to allow the sauce to coat everything well, and the dish is served warm or at room temperature - perfect for a spring dinner.

printable recipe

Pasta Primavera

Serves 4

Note:  any combination of your favorite vegetables may be used – baby carrots, sugar snap peas, baby pattypan squash, zucchini, and yellow squash all work well.  Cooked chicken or shrimp may be added also.

8 ounces bow tie pasta (or penne or cavatappi)

3/4 cup frozen peas (not thawed)

1 ½ cups small asparagus tips

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup seeded and sliced multi-colored bell peppers

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup dry white wine

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Lemon slices or quarters for garnish (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add pasta; cook according to package directions.  During the last minute of cooking, add the peas and asparagus tips to the pasta water (if the asparagus tips are medium to large, increase cooking time but still add the peas during the last minute).  Drain and return to the cooking pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add peppers; sauté 1 minute.  Add salt, pepper and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.  Stir in wine, then add cream and juice and cook 1 minute.  Pour the sauce over the hot pasta vegetable mixture; add cheese and toss for a minute or so over medium heat to allow the sauce to coat all.  Remove from heat; stir in basil and parsley.

Serve in shallow bowls garnished with lemon (optional).

Chicken Noodle Soup - The Ultimate Comfort Food

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How to be a Soup Fairy
It might seem odd to post a recipe for chicken noodle soup at the holidays.  But here's my reasoning - you're probably going to have some time off over the next few weeks, right?  Why would you want to spend some of it making soup?  Because it's a really good bet that a friend or family member is going to come down with a bad cold or flu in the next month or two.  Just think how happy they'd be if you were able to whip out a container of homemade chicken soup as a get-well present.  You'd get big-time gold stars for thoughtfulness (not to mention think-aheadfulness).  I was planning to make this soup for blog purposes a week ago when I saw a Facebook post by my friend Kathy that said she had a lousy cold and felt like "caca".  It would have been even better if I could have brought her soup immediately but I was able to stop over the following day (after I actually MADE said soup) and she was very grateful.

Making homemade soup does take some time, but you can spread it out over two days (recommended) and it doesn't take more than an hour or two each day.  Plus, if you have various family members hanging around the house you can enlist their aid and it makes a fun project to do together.  Really!  Your house smells wonderful and you feel like you're doing something to help someone else - very appropriate at the holidays.

The big secret to this recipe is the noodles.  Don't buy dried noodles, buy frozen egg noodles because they're just like homemade.  They make a homemade soup seem even more homemade.  Kathy later asked me "did you even make the NOODLES?"  I had to confess.

Day one you cook the chicken, which creates the broth.  You let the broth cool in the refrigerator overnight so you can skim off the fat the next day.  Day two is all about chopping ingredients and dumping everything into the broth to cook. 

By the way, this recipe makes a LOT of soup - about four quarts.  The good news is that you'll have plenty for yourself as well as others.  But be aware that if you try to make it in a standard Dutch oven you might run into problems.  You need a real soup pot.

Do you like my pot?  I love nice shiny pots. If you don't have one, borrow one from a friend or make half a recipe in a Dutch oven. Or buy one and use it often.

This recipe includes an optional small amount of cream and parmesan.  They really add to the flavor but you can leave them out if you're being careful about calories.  My rationale is that the cream makes the soup more slidey for sore throats (technical term).

If you're watching your sodium intake, know that you can buy chicken base in a low sodium version.  I'm not sure if the same is true about chicken bouillon cubes.  As a general rule of thumb I always try to use low sodium products whenever available and then salt to taste at the table.  You'll end up using less sodium that way.  Not familiar with chicken base?  Here's what it looks like.

You'll find it, along with beef base and sometimes turkey or pork base, in the spice aisle of most grocers (near the bouillon cubes).  I like these products better than bouillon cubes because they seem fresher with more depth of flavor and have less sodium.

I think I had Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup pretty much every single school day when I was in 3rd grade - brought to school in a Barbie lunch pail with a peanut butter sandwich.  It took me a while to recover enough to think about chicken noodle soup again (kind of like when I came down with the flu immediately after having a shrimp dinner, but different).  This recipe will be a revelation for those of you whose soup normally comes out of a can.

Happy Holidays to all!!!!!!



* * click here for a printable recipe version * *


Chicken Noodle Soup
Makes approximately 4 quarts

Step 1:
4 bay leaves
3 chicken bouillon cubes or 3-4 tsp chicken base (preferably low sodium)
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 2.5-3 lb fryer chicken, cut up
1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
3.5 quarts water
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Step 2:
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery with leafy green tops
12 oz package homestyle frozen egg noodles
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/3 cup cooking sherry
1-2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup heavy cream (optional but good)
¾ cup grated parmesan (optional but good)
Additional fresh parsley for garnish


For step one, add all the ingredients to a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer approximately 35 to 45 minutes until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the bay leaves and onion. You should have approximately 3 quarts of stock. When the chicken is cool, discard the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces. Refrigerate the stock and the chicken separately overnight.

For step two, skim the fat from the surface of the stock and bring back to a boil. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 5 to ten minutes. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions. When the noodles are done, add the chicken, mushrooms, parsley, sherry and rosemary. Add the cream and parmesan, if using. Cook for another 2 minutes until heated through. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.