It’s Friday and I’m sharing one of my favorite menus with you! This is perfect for a Spring evening, shared with friends over a nice bottle of Riesling! I originally found this menu on Ina Garten’s site for The Barefoot Contessa show on The Food Network. It has served me well over the past few years and appears on our table when the weather is warmer. You can substitute grouper filet for the chicken if you so desire and I’ve also served steamed lobster tails over the top of this same salad and it’s a huge hit! I think it works in many ways and I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
Parmesan Chicken with Spring Green Salad and Lemon Vinaigrette
Berry Crisp
Chilled Riesling
We tasted Bex Riesling at our Easter dinner and it was fantastic…..see Mark at Harris Teeter if you’re on the island and he’ll point you in the right direction.
Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
Just looking at this recipe makes me hungry for this soup. My family are not mushroom lovers so I puree the soup before serving and they love it. The flavors meld together and create the most amazing flavor!
Serves 6
5 ounces shitake mushrooms
5 ounces baby portobello mushrooms
5 ounces crimini mushrooms
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 stick butter
1 cup chopped onion (I use Vidalia)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
Himalayan Pink Salt (order here: www.sdcspice.com)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 cup chopped leeks (1 leek, white and light green part….wash them well!)
1 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine (I like a Pinot Grigio for this)
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped, flat-leaf parsley
Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry cloth. I do not wash them. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and coarsely chop them. Slice the caps of the mushrooms. For the stock: Saute the mushroom stems in the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the onion, carrot, thyme sprig, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. The vegetables should be soft. Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil, reducing the heat to a low simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and you should have about 4-5 cups of stock…if not, add water.
In another large pot heat the remaining stick of butter and add the leeks and shallots, cooking over low heat for about 15 minutes. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat the vegetables. Add the white wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the strained stock, thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a slow simmer for about 15 minutes. In a blender or food processor you will process this mixture in batches until all of the soup is pureed. Return to the pan and add the half-and-half, cream and parsley. Taste and season with pink salt and pepper if desired. Serve the soup hot and enjoy!
Parmesan Chicken with Spring Green Salad and Lemon Vinaigrette
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all purpose flour (you can use gluten free flour for this as well)
1 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt, see above recipe for ordering
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 Panko crumbs (these are also becoming available in gluten free form)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Salad greens for 4-6 (I use organic red leaf with arugula and baby spinach)
1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4 inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Combine the flour, salt and pepper on a shallow plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the panko crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the hicken with the flour mixture, dip in the gg mixture and dredge in the crumb and cheese mixture on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan, cook 2 chicken breasts at a time until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side, making sure they are cooked through. Add more butter and oil to cook the remaining chicken breasts.
Toss the salad with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each plate and top with a chicken breast, garnish with parmesan cheese.
Berry Crisp
This is the perfect way to use the rest of the blackberries that you did not use in the canapes.
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together and place in a pie pan. Top with Crumb Topping
Crumb Topping:
6 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped almonds
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Mix together and spoon over the berry mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 1/2 hour, or until browned and bubbly.
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