Baked Chicken with Mustard Crust
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Cooking time: 40 minutes for menu
Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
Asparagus and peas are the picture of spring for me. Quickly cooking them so they retain their bright green color and some crispness, then pairing them with a creamy ricotta sauce is a very 'spring' dish, a great accompaniment to the baked, crusty chicken.
Baked Chicken Breasts with Mustard Crust Time: 40 minutes
The key to giving these a crispy crust is to drizzle them with olive oil after breading and before baking. You could also spray them with olive oil if you have it. The crust keeps them moist and the mustard adds lots of flavor.
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 tbs Dijon-style mustard
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 more tbs olive oil
In small bowl mix mustard, oil, tarragon and garlic. Spread on a plate or flattish bowl. Put bread crumbs on another plate. Roll chicken breasts in mustard mixture to coat thoroughly. Then roll in crumbs. Brush a baking sheet with a bit of oil and place breasts on. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbs olive oil. Bake at 400F (200C) for 30 minutes or until topping is light brown and chicken is done (test if not sure - see techniques). Remove and serve.
Spring Pasta Time: 30 minutes
Fresh asparagus, lovely green peas and a creamy ricotta sauce dress up farfalle for a simple, fresh pasta dish.
3/4 cup of peas, frozen, no butter or sauce
6 - 8 oz asparagus
1 1/2 tsp butter
1 1/2 tsp flour
1/2 cup (4oz, 125ml) milk
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) ricotta
1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup pasta, farfalle, fusilli, penne
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
While pasta cooks:
The vegetables: Trim and roll-cut asparagus into 1" (2.5cm) lengths. (To roll-cut:
cut the end off at an angle, roll 1/4 turn and slice at the same angle, roll 1/4 and slice, etc. This gives you interesting looking pieces with lots of surface.) Bring a large saucepan half full of water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 3 minutes. Add peas after 2 minutes. Drain and pour into a bowl of cold water. When cool, drain well.
The sauce: In a small saucepan heat the butter over low heat. Add flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute. Add a little milk and whisk to combine. Turn heat up to medium and keep adding milk, a little at a time and whisking. When it's thick and starting to boil stir in ricotta, tarragon and mustard. Keep warm until needed.
To assemble: Put drained pasta in a bowl. Add sauce and toss to combine. Add vegetables, combine, sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 40 minutes |
Start to cook pasta |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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