Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Saffron is an exotic spice with a unique flavor that I can't even begin to describe.  It's expensive because the little saffron threads have to be hand-harvested from crocus flowers, but the good news is that a little goes a long ways in terms of both flavor and color in a recipe.  If you like saffron, I guarantee you'll love this dish.

You can tell this recipe is from a restaurant when you notice the butter and olive oil.  Although it seems like a lot, this recipe does serve four and you could always cut down on the amounts but the taste is absolutely worth it.  The secret is the chicken marinade of saffron, thyme, parsley and lemon zest with just enough olive oil to make a paste.  The incredible flavor is achieved by marinating the chicken for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight which allows the marinade to both stick to and permeate the chicken.  The good news is that if you plan ahead and marinate the chicken the night before, the whole dinner takes about 20 minutes to make the next day.  The chicken is cooked over moderate heat to preserve the flavors of the paste and to keep it from drying out.  The sugar snaps add healthy veggie crunch while the couscous or rice rounds out the meal.  Beautiful, delicious and (mostly) healthy.

P.S.  Make extra chicken for the best-ever chicken salad sandwich with toasted almonds, currants, celery and a tiny amount of mayo on a crusty roll.

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Saffron Chicken with Sugar Snaps

Serves 4

Note that the chicken needs to marinate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight so plan ahead.

Scant ½ teaspoon saffron threads

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 lemon, zested and cut into quarters (for garnish)

3-4 cups sugar snap peas, ends trimmed

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot cooked couscous or rice

Crush the saffron as finely as possible in a mortar and pestle.  Reserve about a quarter of the saffron for later, then add the remaining saffron to 4 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the saffron oil, 2 teaspoons of thyme, the parsley and the lemon zest to a large zip-top bag.  Close the bag and massage to combine the ingredients, then open the bag again and add the chicken pieces.  Close and move the chicken around to make sure each piece is coated evenly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the bag and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil.  Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden.  Flip the chicken and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 160d, about 3-4 minutes more.  (Watch the temperature so the chicken doesn’t get too dark before it’s cooked through.)  Remove the chicken and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  When it melts, add the sugar snaps, green onions and remaining thyme.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 2-3 minutes until the sugar snaps are bright green and crisp tender.  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the reserved saffron and stir until the butter melts.  Remove from the heat.

To serve, plate the chicken with the sugar snap mixture and hot couscous or rice.  Garnish with the green onion tops and a lemon quarter to be squeezed on everything.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus Pesto Sauce

Last Year's Post: Hand Blended Loose Leaf Chai Tea
Two Years Ago:  Coq au Vin

Life as a food blogger has its ups and downs.  The downside happens when a recipe doesn't come out as you hoped, or it was a ton of work, or it tastes good but doesn't look like much.  But then there's the upside when a recipe is even more delicious than you thought, it's easy to make and beautiful to boot.  Happily, this is one of those because I had a spectacular (and expensive) halibut failure last week and was feeling rather traumatized but now I'm all better.  :-)

It's so spectacular, in fact, that I would suggest it for a special occasion dinner like a birthday, anniversary or Valentine's day - it's that good.  And it's fast enough to make on a weeknight - all you have to do it steam some asparagus, cook some pasta or rice to go with the dish, then cook the chicken and add the sauce at the end.  I was tempted to leave out the cream but after tasting it I wouldn't - it adds flavor and creaminess (duh) and it's only a 1/4 cup for four servings.

The recipe was so easy that I couldn't even think of all that many pictures to take of the process.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus Pesto Sauce

Serves 4

6-8 ounces asparagus, tough ends snapped off, cut into 1” pieces

¼ cup flour

4 chicken cutlets (or 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 4 cutlets)

4 slices prosciutto

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup pesto

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup chicken broth

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

Hot cooked pasta, rice or mashed potatoes for serving

Steam the asparagus pieces for 4-5 minutes (depending on the size of the spears this may need to be adjusted up or down) until crisp-tender, then run under cold water or shock in an ice bath to stop cooking.  Drain and set aside.

Put the flour in a shallow plate.  Pat the chicken cutlets dry, then season with pepper on both sides.  Lightly dredge both sides in flour and shake off the excess.  Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each cutlet and set aside.

Mix the pesto, cream and chicken broth together in a small bowl.  Set aside.

When ready to start cooking, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken cutlets and cook for five minutes or until the cutlets release easily without sticking and are golden brown.  Lower the heat to medium, turn the cutlets over and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Lower the heat to low and add the pesto sauce.  Simmer very gently for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then add the asparagus.  Simmer for another minute to heat the asparagus through, then taste and adjust seasonings (remember the prosciutto is salty so go easy on salt in the sauce).

Place the cutlets with the asparagus pesto sauce over hot pasta, rice or potatoes.  Garnish with optional basil leaves and serve immediately.

Chicken Limone Pasta

Last Year's Post: Pretzel Chicken Bites
Two Years Ago:  Arroz Con Pollo

As the weather turns cooler many of us start to crave rich, hot cheesy pasta dishes.  Unfortunately, they're usually full of fat and calories.  I recently came across this dish on the menu of a local wine bistro and was attracted to it for three reasons:  it fulfills the hot pasta requirement, I love lemon, and it sounded much lighter than a typical spaghetti or lasagna.  I re-created it at home and was very happy with the results - it's very lemony and tastes rich even though the sauce is much lighter than a red sauce.  The herbs add a pop of fresh flavor and the rotisserie chicken is moist and meaty.  The entire meal takes less than a half hour to prepare, so it qualifies as a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Really, who doesn't like lemons?

I made it a little extra-special by using this fun egg tagiatelle with cool edges I found at the store, but you could use regular tagiatelle or pappardelle or even linguine or fettucine.

Buying pre-shredded rotisserie saves even more time than buying a whole rotisserie chicken and shredding it yourself - many stores now carry it in their deli or on their salad bar.  All you have to do is make a quick pan sauce while the pasta cooks, then toss the pasta with the sauce and herbs and top with chicken.

It not only satisfied my pasta cravings, it somehow managed to do so without the help of any cheese at all.  That's saying something.

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Chicken Limone Pasta

Serves 2

½ - 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

6 ounces dry pappardelle pasta (or spaghetti or linguine)

2 tablespoons butter, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

Zest of half a lemon

Juice of a whole lemon

2 tablespoons capers

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs (parsley, chives, thyme, etc.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just al dente – it will cook further in the sauce.  Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant but do not brown.  Add wine and simmer to reduce by half.  Add chicken broth, lemon juice and capers, then turn heat to medium-high and cook until reduced by half.  Add remaining tablespoon of butter, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Add pasta to the skillet and cook on low for a minute or two, tossing to combine the pasta and sauce.  Add the herbs and toss to combine right before serving.  Serve in shallow bowls topped with chicken and  lemon zest.

Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

Last Year's Post:  Chicken with Fresh Cherry Salsa
Two Years Ago:   Farro, Kale and Smoked Mozzarella Salad

I found a bag of seriously gigantic frozen shrimp at Costco the other day and have been amusing myself with finding recipes worthy of their magnificence ever since. This particular recipe is a study in contrasting colors, textures, and flavors that shows off the beautiful grilled shrimp while simultaneously being very light and healthy - a perfect summer meal.

You can vary the heat level by the type of spice blend you choose and also by whether you add the spice to the corn and zucchini in addition to the shrimp.  Living in Arizona, I have a jar of hatch chile spice blend that's pretty potent so I went easy on the corn and zucchini but a little bit heavier on the shrimp.

I could just eat everything on this plate and call it a meal, couldn't you?

If you really like heat, you could always add some sliced jalapenos to the salad as well.  The sweetness of the corn and creaminess of the avocado are a good balance for the heat.

All you do is make a light lime-cumin dressing, quickly grill the veggies and shrimp, then toss everything together.  Easy, quick, healthy and delicious.

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Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

Serves 4

1 ear corn, husked

2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise

10 colossal or 14 extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Southwest seasoning blend

1 small head of butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized bits

1 avocado

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Juice of ½ lemon

Dressing:

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients by whisking in a small bowl or shaking in a jar; set aside. 

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill.  Brush the corn, zucchini and shrimp with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Season with southwest seasoning to taste.  Grill the corn and zucchini for 2 minutes on all sides until grill-marked and crisp-tender.  Grill the shrimp until the meat is opaque and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Let cool slightly.

Cut the corn kernels from the cob, and chop the zucchini into ½” pieces.  Chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces, discarding the tails.

Halve and pit the avocado, then score each half with a small knife into a cross-hatch pattern.  Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into a small bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.  (It should be in chunks.)

Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl or individual salad bowls.  Top with corn, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, and shrimp.  Drizzle with dressing and toss before serving.

Chicken and Mushroom Gratinate

Last Year's Post: Power Muffins
Two Years Ago:  Sloppy Joes for Grown-Ups

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.

The whole thing cooks in one skillet which makes it great for a weekday meal and gives you time to prepare something to soak up the sauce on the side:  pasta, mashed potatoes, or polenta.  I chose polenta simply because we're having pasta later in the week.

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.

Korean Seafood Pancakes

Last Year's Post: Spanakopita
Two Years Ago:  Chorizo and Mushroom Fideua

I can't seem to get enough Korean food lately.  I love the bold, clean flavors and particularly like adapting heavy recipes to be lighter but with the same flavor profile (for example, substituting ground turkey for beef in Korean Sliders).  I was attracted to these Korean Seafood Pancakes because they're already light and make a fast and easy (but exotic) weekday dinner.  The other thing that I liked was that this recipe is adapted to use ingredients commonly available in American grocery stores so I didn't have to go buy special items at the Asian market  (which I like to do, but there's a limit to how much stuff I can fit in the pantry).

Start to finish, they take maybe 30 minutes at most, and 10 minutes of that is spent prepping the vegetables into thin and pretty slivers, making the dipping sauce, and prepping the shrimp.

After prepping the vegetables and mixing a simple batter, all that's left is to cook each pancake for about 4 minutes.  You can keep the cooked pancakes warm on a plate in the oven, or serve them at room temperature - they're equally good both ways.  The pancakes may tear somewhat as you flip them, but don't worry - you'll cut the pancakes up for dipping anyway.

My favorite part is that you can use all shrimp, or substitute part or all of the shrimp with lump crab or lobster meat.  If you decide to add lobster, take the raw meat out of a lobster tail and cut it into relatively thin pieces similar to the shrimp so they'll cook at the same rate.  The pancakes cook for 3 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other, which is enough time to cook the thin seafood pieces completely.

Don't be scared by the amount of jalapeno.  The first time I made the sauce, I cut the jalapeno in half just to be safe, and the sauce wasn't even remotely spicy - I needed both jalapenos to give it a kick.  However, jalapenos can vary widely in their heat, so my advice is to taste the dipping sauce with one jalapeno and then add the second as needed.

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Korean Seafood Pancakes

Serves 4

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 ¾ cups water

¼ cup vegetable oil

4 large green onions, halved crosswise and cut into very thin strips

1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into very thin strips

1 large jalapeno, halved, cored and seeded, cut into very thin strips

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise (or substitute lump crab or lobster meat pieces for all or part of the shrimp)

For the Dipping Sauce

½ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 green onions, minced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 ½ teaspoons toasted Asian sesame oil

To make the dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt.  Whisk the egg with the water, then whisk into the flour mixture until smooth.

In an 8-inch non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add one quarter each of the green onions, red pepper and jalapeno.  Add one quarter of the shrimp, scattering them evenly in the pan.  Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter evenly over everything, tilting the pan to spread it.  Cook until the bottom is browned, about 3 minutes.

Using a large spatula, carefully flip the pancake (don’t worry if it tears) and cook on the other side for about 60 seconds, until lightly browned.  Slide the pancake onto a plate and make 3 more pancakes in the same way.

Cut into quarters (or medium pieces) and serve with the dipping sauce.

Chicken and Caramelized Broccoli Ramen

 
 Last Year's Post: Tomato Soup and grilled Cheese - All Grown Up
Two Years Ago:   Greek Shrimp and Orzo

Ramen make a great base for any number of different noodle bowls - I particularly like them with leftovers as a clear-out-the-refrigerator dinner.  Garnished with soy sauce or sriracha, they're an easy and interesting way to use up bits and pieces.  Here's another idea for ramen, this time served with deeply caramelized broccoli, tender chicken and savory mushrooms in a sour cream-based sauce.  It's very flavorful and the caramelized broccoli lends a nutty flavor.  Everything (except the noodles) is cooked in the same pan which streamlines clean-up too.

The key to caramelizing broccoli is to cut each floret in half, so they have a flat side.  They're placed flat-side-down in the pan for even browning, then covered and steamed until tender.  The mushrooms are browned after the broccoli is done, then finally the chicken and onions are cooked.  Everything is stirred together with the noodles, sour cream and spice mix for a very easy and very tasty dish.

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Chicken and Caramelized Broccoli Ramen

Serves 2-3

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces broccoli florets (about 1 crown)

½ cup water

8 ounces fresh button, shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced

6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 3-ounce packages of chicken-flavored ramen noodles

8 ounces light sour cream

In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Add the noodles (reserving the seasoning packets) and boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain.

Meanwhile, cut each of the broccoli florets in half lengthwise.  To a large frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the broccoli pieces, cut side down.  Cook until richly browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes, checking occasionally for brownness.  Add the water, cover and turn to medium-low.  Cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has almost evaporated, about 6-7 minutes.  Remove the broccoli and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and return to medium heat.  Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook until tender and lightly golden, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Add the third tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and set over medium heat.  Add the onions and sauté for one minute, then add the chicken pieces and sauté until lightly browned and cooked through.

Mix the sour cream with the two reserved seasoning packets.  Toss noodles with the mixture, then add the broccoli, mushrooms, onion and chicken.  Let the mixture rest for a few minutes to blend and absorb, then toss again and serve.

Ravioli with Peas, Bacon and Lemon Oil

Last Year's Post: Summer Pasta Salad with Fresh Tuna

Pet peeve #352:  thick-cut bacon.  Why all of a sudden is thick-cut bacon the hot trend?  You can hardly find regular bacon any more.  I was watching TV the other day and no less than celebrity chef Ina Garten was gushing about her thick-cut bacon adding a nice chew to her salad.  I don't know about you, but any time "chewy" and "meat" are in the same sentence I don't think that's a good thing.  I can't think of a single meat where "chewy" is the desired texture, particularly bacon. To add insult to injury, we were having breakfast at a new restaurant this weekend and the server asked me if I wanted my bacon crispy.  Yay, someone gets it!   In retrospect I should have known that if they have to ask, something is wrong.   I received a slab of bacon that was at least 1/2" thick and fried until it should no longer be called bacon.  Pork jerky or shoe leather would better describe the looks and taste.  After one or two bites I quit because I was afraid I was going to crack a tooth.  Moral of the story - bacon should thin and crisp, period.  OK, end of rant.  I feel better now.

Anyway, I like to try recipes that contain either an ingredient or a technique that's new to me, partly to expand my horizons but mostly just because I have an incurable curiosity streak.  This recipe contains a new ingredient that also involves a new technique:  lemon-infused olive oil.  While it's true that you can buy any number of olive oils infused with various flavors, there are several compelling reasons to make your own.  First, it will be much fresher.  Second, you can customize it to your taste.  And third, infused oils are very expensive to buy.  A bottle of infused oil will probably run somewhere around $10 if it's decent quality.  Using my Costco extra-virgin olive oil and one lemon, I made a cup of lemon oil for slightly over $1.  Not bad.

One thing you need to know is that you should start one day in advance because the oil needs to steep for 24 hours.  The other thing you should know is that it's important to remove the rinds after 24 hours and store the oil in your refrigerator for food safety reasons.  I once made a big batch of garlic oil and stored it in my pantry, only to read several weeks later that botulism can develop under those conditions.  I was sad to throw the entire batch out but happy that I hadn't tried it in the meantime.

The infused oil is very easy to make.  Remove the outer rind (no pith) of a lemon with a vegetable peeler,  then warm the olive oil and rind over low heat for ten minutes.  Cool and place the rind and oil in a clean glass covered container in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Remove and strain out the rinds, then place the oil back in the container.  Kept refrigerated, the oil will keep for up to a month.

The lemon oil serves as the sauce for this easy and quick pasta dish.  You might not normally associate crunch with pasta, but there is definitely a crunch factor here from the (crisp!) bacon and the toasted pepitas.  If you can't find pepitas, toasted chopped walnuts would be equally good.

You'll have lemon oil left over after you make this dish, so here are some ideas for how to use it.

• Drizzled over cooked vegetables
• Salad dressings
• Over any cooked or grilled fish
• As a dipping sauce for bread (add any fresh or dried herbs you like)
• Drizzled on top of hummus 
• In cold pasta salads

This dish is very light and fresh-tasting and comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta (assuming you made the lemon oil in advance), so it makes a great weeknight meal.

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Ravioli with Peas, Bacon and Lemon Oil

Serves 2-3

3 slices of bacon

1 9 ounce package refrigerated cheese ravioli

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1/3 cup daikon sprouts (or other sprouts or micro-greens)

Lemon-infused olive oil (see recipe below)

¼ cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Chop the bacon into ½” wide pieces and fry in a skillet until golden and crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain. 

Cook ravioli according to directions.  While the ravioli is cooking, cook the peas according to directions.

When the ravioli is done, drain in a colander and transfer to a medium bowl.  Toss with a tablespoon or two of lemon oil, then transfer to individual bowls. Top with peas, bacon, sprouts, and pepitas. Drizzle with a little additional lemon oil, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon-Infused Olive Oil

1 lemon

1 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Scrub the lemon well under running water and dry thoroughly.  Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin only (no white pith) of the lemon.  Place the lemon peel and olive oil in a small saucepan and heat slowly over low heat for 10 minutes, until the peel begins to sizzle.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Transfer the olive oil and lemon peel to a clean glass container and cover tightly.  Refrigerate for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, strain out the lemon peel and return the lemon oil to the jar.  Refrigerate for up to a month.  When ready to use, remove the amount needed from the jar and allow to come to room temperature before using.