Recipes for Cook

Showing posts with label wine. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Italian Chicken and Spinach Patties and Garlic Wine Sauce

Ever wonder what to make with ground chicken besides, chili, meatballs and burgers? I do all the time and when I ask people reply "the same things you would make with ground beef." I get that but I want something different. Thats how this recipe was born. As always you can change this recipe to suit your tastebuds. Other options would be a marsala sauce (with or without the mushrooms), caramelized onion topping, mix in some feta cheese and use greek seasonings, use moroccan seasonings and serve it over couscous, the possibilities are endless.

Italian Chicken Patties and Garlic Wine Sauce

Yields: 6 patties

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, squeezed and drained
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
approx 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup of chicken stock
wondra flour
shredded mozzarella (swiss or fontina would be good too), optional.

Directions:

1. Saute onion and 3 cloves minced garlic in olive oil and set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine ground chicken, drained spinach, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands to combine all seasonings. If mixture is very wet add more breadcrumbs. It will remain sticky.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Form patties and gently place in oil and let cook until browned, turn over and cook the other side. When all patties are browned place on a baking sheet and continue to cook in oven (to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way)while you make the sauce.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in pan, add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook over medium low heat, (do not burn or garlic will turn bitter). Add wine and let reduce by half, then add chicken stock. Let sauce cook down and reduce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want the sauce to be thicker stir in some wondra flour.

4. Return patties to pan with sauce, turning to coat both sides. If desired, top with some shredded mozzarella and put the pan under the broiler to melt.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Gorgonzola Topped Filet Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions with Red Wine Gravy and Lemon Scented Broccoli

I spent the day sewing items for my Etsy Shop, (you can see a preview of my shop on the right side of blog, go take a look, particularly if you like table linens for holidays and special occassions) and when I got home, I was starving. I did not stop at the grocery store on the way home, so I only considered what I ingredients I already had on hand. Harkening back to the vegetable pizza from Saturday night, I knew there were still some mushrooms and broccoli remaining in the refrigerator. As I have said numerous times before, I am not a fan of cooked broccoli when not "hidden" in some other preparation (like pizza), but outweighing my distain for broccoli is my desire not to waste food. There is no greater waste, as far as I am concerned, then going to the store, spending money on food and then simply throwing it in the garbage because it spoiled before it was eaten. Utilizing the some common ingredients most have in the pantry/refrigerator on a regular basis, I prepared a healthy, delicious meal in less than half an hour and it was really easy, oh, and I didnt even mind the broccoli.

I preheated the oven to 400 degrees and set two saute pans over med heat on the stove. I seasoned the filet with hickory smoked salt (from my friend Charmanes company S.A.L.T., which you can find in the South Bend Farmers Market), fresh cracked pepper and some garlic powder. I seared the steak on both sides for 5-6 minutes, topped it with crumbled gorgonzola cheese and placed the saute pan it in the oven. The cheese melted nicely over the top of the steak and after 5 minutes, I removed it from the oven and placed the filet on a plate to rest.

Thinly slice 1 container of cremini mushrooms, 1/2 of a sweet onion and mince 1 clove of garlic. Saute in olive oil over med/high heat for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, making sure not to burn my hand on the hot handle like I have done at least a million time, I proceeded to make a gravy/sauce from the steak pan drippings. Add 1 teaspoon of flour to the same pan in which the steak was cooked and set back on the stove over medium heat and cook for just a minute. Add 1/2 cup of water (or beef stock) and bring to a boil stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add the mushrooms and onions which were just sauteed directly to the the gravy and add a splash of red wine. Simmer for a few minutes before serving with the filet.

It goes without saying that I am not an expert cooker of broccoli, but, this turned out to be a really tasty broccoli side dish which I will definately make again. I cut about 1/4 head of broccoli into florets and par cooked them in a cover bowl in the microwave for 50 seconds. Just before it was time to eat, I tossed the broccoli in a hot sautee pan with a little olive oil, a sprinkling of hot pepper flakes, the zest of 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper for about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and squeeze about 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice over the top. Serve immediately!