Thursday, February 24, 2011

Chardonnay Flavored Sweet and Sour Lemon Spicy Sauce

Another evening of challenging cooking.  Prepared sauteed chicken with Marsala, but I didn't  have marsala.  Looked for substitute recipe for marsala.  Hmmm...grape juice and brandy... Yak!  nope, I do not like the taste.  Back to square one.  How about sweet and sour sauce?  But I did not want the vinegar.  An idea --
Ingredients:
1/2 C fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 C Chardonnay.  I used Inglenook brand's
1 C homemade chicken stock (seasoned, but no salt) 
1/4 C finely chopped - fine brunoise - 1/16"x1/16"x1/16"
1 clove of garlic chopped
2 to 3 Tbsp Sugar
about 1 tsp+ of chili flakes
1 Tbsp Japanese Potato Starch (Katakuriko) mixed with water = 2 Tbsp Slurry
Salt to taste

Sauteuse pan
Strainer
Glass bowl
Heat proof spatula

After chicken breasts--thinly sliced, pounded (scaloppini style), dredged in flour  (make sure to shake almost all the flour off each chicken slice and sauteed in butter, set the chicken aside.
In the same saute pan, add the onions and sweat it.  Pick up all the goodies at the bottom of the saute pan.  Then add 1 C chardonnay, add chopped garlic and cook to reduce to 1/4 C or less.  Add 1 C home made chicken stock.
Cook to reduce (evaporate) by 1/4 C.
Remove from heat and strain the sauce.  Discard onions and garlic...etc. or gobble them up  :-)
Return the sauce back into the sauteuse.
Heat - just before it starts to boil, add chili flakes.  Add 2 Tbsp sugar and taste.  Add more sugar as needed to your sweetness taste.  Sprinkle with salt to taste.
(Liquid should be bubbly until finish.)
Add 2 Tbsp of starch slurry, and stir quickly with heat proof spatula.
Cook till liquid is evenly thickened and for 2 min--stir continuously.
Remove from heat.

Cut the chicken into desired size if plating for individual size.
Arrange on plate and served with julienned Mango on chicken scaloppini layer. Drowse with Chardonnay flavored sweet and sour lemon spice sauce on each layer.
Yuummmy!!

Other odd pieces of chickens:  cut into somewhat equal size.  Serve after tossing the chicken and sauce together.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Roasted Turnips and Spaghetti Squash

They are heart warming and tasty.  Turnips tasted like DAIKON, but with firmer texture.
The spaghetti squash is very interesting.  





Poached Pears with Wild Berry Wine Sauce

I never thought I will ever poach pears... and in wine?  well, I am into the new arena in cooking adventure this semester.  Not too sure about poached food items in the meat group, but it works wonder with this pears.