Issue Date: March 20, 2005
Spring chicken
Round out this holiday meal for 8 with pilaf and a creamy lemon dessert.
Chicken breasts, mushrooms, asparagus, peas, rice, onions, chicken broth, lemons, eggs and cream -- throw in paper towels and detergent, and it sounds like a pretty ordinary shopping list. But add a packet of dried wild mushrooms, a few shallots, goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and fresh raspberries, and you've got the makings of a special spring feast.
You can easily pull off this dinner -- even amid holiday activities and the usual weekend chores.
Easy menu for spring holiday entertaining:
Radish Salad
Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Special Spring Vegetable Mix
Peppery Rice Pilaf
Lemon Panna Cotta
|
Tips:
When you're shopping, try to find the smaller, more attractive 10- to 12-ounce bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The 1-pound ones work fine, too: Just give them a good fist-pounding to flatten them a bit before stuffing (and you may want to split this size between two guests).
The rice and vegetables are best made at the last minute, but they can be prepped and partially cooked ahead. About 20 minutes before dinner, add the broth and turn on the rice. When sitting down to enjoy the salad, turn on the vegetable and set a timer.
You may decide to dine out for Easter or Passover, but you don't have to. With a little effort, you can prepare a restaurant-quality meal without the impersonal hustle of the restaurant, and -- of course -- without the tab.
Contributing Editor Pam Anderson's most recent cookbook is "CookSmart."
Go to top
Parmesan-Black Pepper Arborio Rice Pilaf
1 Tb. butter
1 Tb. olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice, rinsed in a colander until water runs clear
1 quart (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
Salt, to taste
Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice; stir to coat. (Can turn off heat and let stand several hours.)
Add broth, cover, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until stock is absorbed and rice is creamy and soft with a little "chew" at the center, about 12 minutes. Stir in cheese and pepper; add salt, if necessary. Serve hot.
Serves: 8.
Per serving: 228 calories, 8g protein, 35g carbohydrates, 10mg cholesterol, 6g fat (2g saturated), 3g fiber, 395mg sodium.
Go to top
Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breasts in a Balsamic Pan Sauce
1 ounce dried mushrooms (the variety of your choice)
4 large garlic cloves
1 pound portobello or white mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, then coarsely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 ounces mild goat cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 split skin-on chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces each), rib bones and excess fat trimmed away with poultry scissors, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tb. water
Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add dried mushrooms, cover and let stand about 20 minutes. Squeeze dry; strain liquid (a coffee filter is handy for this) and reserve.
In a food processor, mince garlic and rehydrated mushrooms. Add fresh mushrooms and thyme; continue to process until all is minced.
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushroom mixture; sauté until nearly all moisture has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Mix honey and vinegar in a small bowl.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Set breasts, skin side down, on a large, heavy, lipped cookie sheet. Brush with half of the honey-vinegar; generously salt and pepper. Turn breasts over. Push fingers under skin to make a pocket; stuff with mushroom mixture. Again brush with honey-vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Being careful not to crowd, arrange breasts on cookie sheet so thickest ends point outward. (Can now be covered and refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature before roasting.)
Roast until golden brown, adding water if necessary to keep pan drippings from burning, until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees in the thickest portion of the largest piece, 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.
Scrape pan juices into a medium saucepan. Add reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and enough water to equal 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Bring to a simmer. Add cornstarch mixture; continue to simmer until it thickens a bit.
Arrange a breast on each of 8 plates; drizzle with sauce, and serve.
Serves: 8.
Per serving: 578 calories, 58g protein, 15g carbohydrates, 169mg cholesterol, 31g fat (10g saturated), 1g fiber, 240mg sodium.
Go to top
Special Spring Vegetable Mix
2 Tbs. butter
1 cup frozen pearl onions (5 ounces)
3 cups fresh asparagus, cut into
1-inch pieces (about 12 ounces)
1 cup fresh carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch coins (about 3 medium carrots)
1 cup fresh snow peas, stemmed (about 4 ounces)
1 cup frozen artichokes (an 8-ounce box)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup thinly sliced green scallion tops (snipping with scissors works well)
Black pepper, to taste
Heat butter in a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add pearl onions; sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. (Can be prepared to this point a couple of hours ahead.)
Add asparagus, carrots, snow peas, artichokes, salt and 1/2 cup water to pan. Return to high heat; cover and cook until vegetables start to steam. Steam, covered, until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add peas; continue to steam until vegetables are just tender, about 1 minute longer. Stir in scallion tops, and season with pepper and more salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.
Serves: 8.
Per serving: 77 calories, 4g protein, 10g carbohydrates, 8mg cholesterol, 3g fat (2g saturated), 4g fiber, 213mg sodium.
Go to top
Radish Salad With Parsley & Chopped Eggs
Crisp radishes are the star in this savory spring salad.
|
2 medium shallots, minced
2 tsps. Dijon mustard
3 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced radishes (2 8-ounce packages of cleaned radishes) or 4 1/2-pound bunches, leaves and ends discarded (Note: In addition to red radishes, you might try the white, rosy pink and purple varieties sold in many markets.)
1 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley (whole leaves, washed, patted dry, stems discarded), lightly packed
4 large hard-cooked eggs, in small dice
Whisk shallots, mustard and vinegar with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper in a 2-cup measuring cup. Gradually whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream to form a thick dressing. (Can be covered and held at room temperature several hours.)
Place radishes, parsley and chopped eggs in a medium bowl. (Can be covered and refrigerated for several hours.)
When ready, toss with dressing, adjust salt, pepper and vinegar to taste, and serve.
Serves: 8.
Per serving: 176 calories, 4g protein, 4g carbohydrates, 106mg cholesterol, 17g fat (3g saturated), 2g fiber, 81mg sodium.
Go to top
Lemon Panna Cotta With Raspberry-Orange Sauce
You'll love this silky-smooth Italian pudding.
|
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 6 Tbs. sugar
1 1/2 tsps. very finely grated lemon zest
1 package (2 tsps.) unflavored gelatin
4 Tbs. orange-flavored liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), divided
1 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries
1 6-ounce container fresh raspberries
Bring cream, 1/2 cup sugar and lemon zest to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soften gelatin in 2 generous Tbs. cold water. Whisk softened gelatin and 2 Tbs. orange liqueur into cream mixture.
Pour cream mixture into 8 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups that have been lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray (blot excess oil with a paper towel). Set custard cups in a shallow pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Partially thaw raspberries on countertop. Place in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and add remaining 6 Tbs. sugar and 2 Tbs. orange liqueur. Transfer sauce to a medium bowl (if you want a seedless sauce, strain first through a fine-mesh sieve). Stir in fresh raspberries, and let stand about 1 hour.
When ready to serve, run a thin-bladed knife around each dessert to loosen; turn onto a dessert plate to unmold. Spoon raspberry sauce around panna cotta and serve.
Serves: 8.
Per serving: 443 calories, 3g protein, 34g carbohydrates, 122mg cholesterol, 34g fat (21g saturated), 1g fiber, 36mg sodium.
For more great recipes from USA WEEKEND Magazine, visit allrecipes.com.
Correction: The Chocolate-Cherry-Banana Breakfast Smoothie in our Dec. 31-Jan. 2 issue has 3.7 grams of protein, not 35 grams.
|
