Chicken Alfredo with Peas Serves 2 to 4 4 tablespoons butter 8 ounces chicken breast, cut into strips 1 clove garlic, sliced 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 cup heavy cream 12 ounces dried fettuccine ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil. 2. Pre-heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and sauté the chicken strips until browned. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook for another minute. Add the cream and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer the cream and chicken while you cook the pasta. 3. Drop the fettuccine into the stockpot of water and cook according to the package directions. 4. When the pasta is ready, add the Parmesan cheese and peas to the sauté pan and stir them into the cream to combine. Season to taste with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Using tongs, transfer the pasta from the stockpot to the sauté pan, bringing a little of the pasta water along with the pasta. Swirl everything together and serve.
Chicken Breasts with Tomato Balsamic Sauce Serves 4 4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts salt and freshly ground black pepper olive oil 2 shallots, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, smashed ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (or chopped fresh tomatoes) ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves 1. Pre-heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the skillet and sear the chicken breasts, cooking for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness), or until firm to the touch. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 2. Add the shallot and garlic to the skillet and cook for two minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer until it has almost disappeared. Immediately add the tomatoes and toss well. Cook until the tomatoes soften slightly just a minute or two. Toss in the basil or parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. Pour over the chicken and serve.
Chicken Cutlets with Oranges and Sweet Peppers From Blue Jean Chef: Comfortable in the Kitchen Serves 4 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts salt freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ red onion, sliced (about ½ cup) 1 carrot, sliced on the bias (¼-inch slices) ½ red bell pepper, sliced ½ yellow bell pepper, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup orange juice ½ cup chicken stock 2 oranges, peeled and segmented (see TIP for instructions) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1. Using a meat pounder, pound the chicken breasts until they are about ½-inch thick. Alternatively, you can slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so that each one becomes two flat chicken cutlets. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Place the chicken into the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and brown well on both sides about 2 minutes per side. Brown the chicken in batches if necessary, rather than over-crowding the pan. Transfer the browned chicken to a platter and set aside. 3. Add the onion, carrot and red and yellow pepper slices to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. Pour in the orange juice and bring the mixture to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and continue to simmer, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced by half about 4 minutes. 4. Add the orange segments and return the chicken cutlets to the pan and heat through about a minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter to thicken the sauce. Add the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with basmati rice and a green salad or vegetable. TIP To segment an orange, start by cutting off both ends of the orange. Then cut the peel away from the flesh with a paring knife, making a curved slice down from one end to the other. Carefully cut in between the membranes of the segments to loosen the orange segments from the orange. Do this over a small bowl, to collect the juice that drips out.
Pan-Fried Salmon Fillets with Tomato Balsamic Sauce Serves 4 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets salt and freshly ground black pepper olive oil 1 large shallot, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, smashed ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (or chopped fresh tomatoes) ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves 1. Pre-heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to the skillet and sear the salmon fillets, cooking for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side (depending on thickness), or until firm to the touch. Remove from the skillet and set aside. 2. Add the shallot and garlic to the skillet and cook for two minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer until it has almost disappeared. Immediately add the tomatoes and toss well. Cook until the tomatoes soften slightly just a minute or two. Toss in the basil or parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. Pour over the salmon and serve.
Pork Chops with Peaches and Honey Butter Serves 4 4 center cut, bone in pork chops salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 peach, pitted and cut into wedges ½ cup white wine 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons butter fresh basil leaves, shredded 1. Pre-heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. 2. Season the pork chops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the oil to the sauté pan and brown the pork chops on both sides, cooking for about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. When the pork chops have reached an internal temperature of 155ºF, remove them from the pan and set them aside to rest, loosely tented with foil. 3. Add the shallot and thyme to the same pan and cook for a minute or two. Add the peaches and sauté until lightly browned. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for just a minute or two and then remove the pan from the heat. Swirl in the honey and the butter and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 4. Pour the sauce over the pork chops and serve with shredded fresh basil on top.
Salmon with a Lemon Mushroom Cream Sauce Serves 3 to 4 1 (1- to 1½-pound) salmon fillet olive oil ¼ cup white wine 1 cup heavy cream 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced 1 clove garlic, smashed 2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest, plus lemon juice and slices for garnish 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1. Pre-heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add a little olive oil to the skillet and then place the salmon in the pan, presentation side down. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side, or until firm to the touch. (Cook for less time if cooking individual fillets.) Remove from the skillet and set aside. 2. Add the mushrooms and garlic clove and sauté for one to two minutes. Add the lemon zest and thyme and toss. Add the white wine and cream and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for a minute and remove from the heat. Season the sauce to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. 3. Serve the salmon family style, with the lemon cream sauce drizzled lightly over the top and garnished with a sprig of thyme, more lemon zest or some lemon slices.
Shrimp Fried Rice Serves 2 to 4 (main course or side dish) 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil ½ pound medium shrimp (about 20) 2 eggs 1 carrot, finely chopped 3 green onions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, sliced 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake 2 cups cooked white rice, cooled and ideally day old 2 teaspoons soy sauce ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1. Pre-heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about one tablespoon of the oil and sauté the shrimp until just cooked through about one minute per side. Set the shrimp aside on a plate. 2. Add a little more oil and cook the egg, scrambling as you go. As soon as the egg is just cooked, remove it to the same plate as the shrimp. 3. Add a little more oil to the skillet and sauté the carrots for a couple of minutes. Add the green onion (saving some for garnish), garlic and crushed red pepper flake until the vegetables start to become tender another two minutes. Add the rice, stir or toss everything together and let the rice fry for a few minutes. Flip the rice in the pan and fry for a few more minutes. 4. Return the cooked shrimp and egg to the skillet and mix them in with the rice. Season with the soy sauce and sesame oil, adding more to taste if you like. Sprinkle more green onions on top and serve.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Serves 2 to 4 1 (10-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained and ¼ cup juice reserved ¼ cup ketchup ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon soy sauce 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes 1 teaspoon cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil ½ red bell pepper, chopped into large chunks ½ green bell pepper, chopped into large chunks 1. Start by making the sauce. Combine the ½ cup of juice from the can of pineapple with the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce in a bowl. 2. Place the chicken breast into a large zipper sealable plastic bag. Add the cornstarch, salt and freshly ground black pepper and shake to coat all the chicken pieces. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil and sauté the chicken pieces just until brown, but not cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. 3. Add the remaining oil and sauté the bell peppers until they are starting to get soft about 5 minutes. Add the pineapple chunks and the sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a couple of minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Season to taste with a little more brown sugar or soy sauce if desired and serve over rice.