Brainy Summertime Dish... Chicken Piccata

 

A Summertime dinner...

For this sunny dish, you will need to buy boneless skinless chicken breast strips, a jar of capers, one lemon, angel hair pasta, one onion, heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

To begin, saute one whole chopped onion in olive oil, adding to that 2 tbs of butter. Prior to that, freshen your chicken breast strips in a rinse of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Add the chicken strips to the skillet, having pushed the onion to one side of the skillet. Brown the strips on med. heat (adding an extra drizzle of olive oil) and then bring back in the onion.

Next, add 3/4 to 1 cup of heavy cream, dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano and half a jar of capers, cover and simmer for 8 min.  Near the end of those eight minutes, slice half a fresh 'washed' lemon, laying in the slices on top of the chicken to cook covered on low heat for about 2-3 minutes.

Don't forget to prepare the angel hair pasta (very thin pasta) by cooking in salted boiling water until tender. Once, tender, drain the pasta and ladle the pasta onto a low lipped serving plate. When the 'Piccata' is finished, top the pasta with the rich creamy lemony chicken sauce; grate Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Bistro ~ Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce

 

A Taste of France...

For this dish you will need: 1 pound pork loin, one whole onion, sun dried tomatoes, dried plums, roasted red peppers and dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano. Serve with either pasta, potatoes or vegetable.

Saute on med heat onion in olive oil until transparent, then push aside the onion to add the pork medallions to brown. Sprinkle on some garlic powder, red pepper flakes, paprika and dried herbs. Toss in as many sun dried tomatoes, crisp green olives (low sodium) and sweet dried plums. 

Next, add a few dashes of beef stock, 3 tbs of Dijon mustard and 1/3 cup of heavy cream, cover and simmer for 20 min while you prepare the potatoes, pasta or vegetable. *For an interesting twist... add a dash or two of cinnamon (optional).

~ Tutti a Tavola

Being Brainy about 'Veal' Marsala...

 

Veal is young beef and is relatively inexpensive. But, not always and finding it can sometimes be a problem. So, if can't find or buy the veal you would like to... you can make a brainy 'veal' Marsala using lean boneless pork loin.

To begin, cut the pork loin thin and pound flat with a meat hammer. After you have pounded the meat, marinate the 'veal' or pork for at least 12 minutes in a drizzle of sweet Marsala wine (or sweet non alcoholic cider with a touch of nutty flavored balsamic vinegar), garlic infused olive oil and a few dashes of sea salt.

While the meat marinates in the Marsala, wash and slice whatever mushrooms you can have (preferably Bavarian) to saute in butter along with a few garlic cloves and chopped onion.

Once the mushrooms, onion and garlic have browned, push them aside in the skillet and lay in the 'cutlets' of pounded, marinated veal/pork. Sprinkle on top a gentle coat of dried Italian herb bread crumbs.

Cook on high heat for 3-5 minutes and then reduce the heat bringing back in the mushrooms then dding 1/4 cup of Marsala wine and 1/4 cup of beef stock or more...bringing this skillet mixture to a bubbling richness. Finally, add fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint, and oregano let simmer on very low heat.

Serve over linguine or even pappardelle pasta... Delicious

~ Tutti a Tavola

Brainy Pappardelle Pasta from Rustichella d'Abruzzo...

Ahh, Italia...

A Quick Delicious Pasta Dish ~ Egg Pappardelle Pasta from Rustichella d'Abruzzo with Capers, Red Peppers and Tomato Garlic Sauce! Yes, even with a long title like that this pasta dish is fast and frugal.

To begin, you will need to buy or take from the pantry a package of wide egg noodles... preferably the 'Egg Pappardelle Pasta from the Italian food product provider ~  Rustichella d'Abruzzo.

Next, using a deep fry pan, gently saute the bacon (thick sliced) and or very mild Italian sausage in olive oil on med. heat until it crumbles. Drain off the extra fat that accumulates to save for future cooking.

Add to the skillet, half a jar of drained capers, and one chopped roasted red pepper, one med can of diced tomatoes, dried herbs: rosemary, mint, sage and oregano along with garlic powder.

As the sauce simmers, start salted water to boil in which you will cook the pasta. Returning to the sauce in progress, add a little less than 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the sauce, and a small pat of butter.

As a colorful and tasty side, fry a few spears of fresh green asparagus in 3 tbs of diced bacon in olive oil until blackened on edges. And, put out the grated Parmesan cheese...

~ Tutti a Tavola! 

 

Patio Oven Barbecued Chicken with Romantic Herbs...

 

Want to begin the summer with a spectacular dish... then try patio oven barbecued chicken. As a side, you can roast in a separate dish herb seasoned garden fresh zucchini.

To begin: buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts (as many per guest), shallots from the garden along with three young zucchini, fresh herbs: rosemary and lavender. Heat a conventional oven or patio oven to 375f, take two oblong glass baking dishes (one for chicken and one for zucchini) and coat with olive oil.

Lay in the chicken and sprinkle on garlic powder and sea salt to taste. Garnish with herbs and slip in the oven. You can do the same with the zucchini adding some paprika if you like.

Bake together until roasted to a golden rich brown color. Prepare on the stove a mixture of Sweet Baby Rays and Open Pit Barbecue sauces to pour over the top of the chicken for a finale... prior to serving garnish with a fresh sprig of lavender.

 ~ Tutti a Tavola!

Brainy Hawaiian Pork with Pineapple...

 

 

Hawaiian food is both sweet and savory because its a rich blend of local and immigrant tastes. Given that, Asian influences have made teriyaki sauce a favorite means to add pizazz to any meat. 

For this dish you will need: 1-2 lbs of boneless pork tenderloin (depending on number of guests), two large bell peppers, red and green, 2-3 cups of fresh pineapple, teriyaki sauce, minced garlic and ginger and white rice. 

To begin, marinate the pork (cut into medallion sizes) in a glass baking dish; using fig infused balsamic vinegar, olive oil, the minced garlic and ginger (2 tbs of each), sea salt and black pepper. To that, add the pineapple and bell pepper, cubed. Drizzle more of the balsamic fig vinegar over the top along with fresh herbs: mint, oregano and rosemary. Pop in the oven on 375f.  Bake for 45 minutes while you prepare the rice. 

After 45 min, sear the top of the mixture in the broiler. Once the rice is tender, drain and ladle onto a serving plate and top with the pork. What about the teriyaki sauce? Well, at our house someone doesn't like it... So, its served on the side along with their preferred sauce... chipotle. Also, to make this dish extra special, top with coconut, almond shavings or sunflower seeds which can be set out in bowls. 

~ Tutti a Tavola!

A Brainy Summer Favorite... Rustic Italian Baked Chicken

 

Though the hot summer weather is upon us, you can still enjoy good oven baked chicken. In some regions of Europe, the summer kitchen is still used. It is a kitchen that is either in the basement of the main house or a small outdoor building near the main house. Today's outdoor kitchen is anything but...

For this baked rustic chicken dish you will need to have: chicken breasts (bone in/skin on or not) 'one' per dinner guest. Garden fresh zucchini, basil pesto and vermicelli 'angel hair' pasta. Getting started: pre-heat your oven to 375f. Take a glass baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Lay the breasts in skin side up.

 

Sprinkle over the top your favorite spices/seasoning. As for Mark's summertime preferences: any fruit infused cooking sherry/vinegar, garlic powder, ground  coriander, sea salt, paprika and dried herbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drizzle over the top of the chicken a bit more olive oil, garnish with rosemary and or lavender and bake on 350f until the chicken is fully cooked (if you have/can use an outdoor wood fired oven then follow the instructions for that type of oven). In that cooking time, prepare any side you like. Mark's choice is garden fresh fried zucchini in butter and olive oil with a tsp of basil pesto served with a delicate vermicelli pasta or without.

~ Tutti a Tavola!