Sherried Chicken with Mushrooms
Wild Rice
Cauliflower with Browned Butter
Cooking time: 50 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions
Wild rice pairs well with both sherry and mushrooms. If you don't want to take the extra few minutes, make simple Basmati
Chicken Breasts with Sherried Mushrooms
Total time: 30 minutes
Mushrooms soak up the flavors they're cooked with, and when simmered with a bit of sherry, they turn simple chicken breasts into an elegant, gourmet dish suitable for guests... or just a delicious mid-week treat. For a dinner party I would use the cream... Midweek I use the milk or stock - which is what's on the List.
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 5oz (150gr) mushrooms
- 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) sherry
- 3/8 cup (3oz, 90ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese, Gruyère
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar or white wine tarragon
Instructions:
- Clean and thickly slice mushrooms.
- Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet.
- Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total.
- Remove and keep warm.
- Add mushrooms and vinegar to pan and sauté 5 minutes.
- Add sherry to mushrooms and scrape up any browned bits.
- Return chicken to pan, turn heat to low and simmer 5 - 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- Sprinkle chicken breasts with cheese and cover briefly, just until cheese melts.
- Remove chicken and cover with the pan lid to keep warm.
- Increase the heat to medium high and add the milk to the pan.
- Boil rapidly, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Spoon mushroom sauce over the chicken and serve.
Wild Rice Pilaf
Total time: 50 minutes
It's called 'rice' but it is really a grass. It has a wonderfully, nutty taste that goes well with roasted meats and flavorful sauces.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (2oz, 60gr) wild rice
- 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) chicken stock
- 2/3 (5oz, 150ml) cup water
- 1 small onion
- 1 rib celery
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 tbs Sherry or Madeira
Instructions:
- Rinse rice and put into a small saucepan.
- Add stock, water and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 40 - 45 minutes.
- Check your package for proper directions and proportions - it may vary. Cooking time will vary according to freshness of rice, altitude, whatever.
- Simmer until tender. We prefer to have most of the kernels "popped".
- When rice is done, remove, put into a serving dish and keep warm. (If there is any stock left when the rice is done just drain it.)
- Chop onion and celery.
- In same pan, heat butter. Add onion, celery and sauté until tender, 5 - 8 minutes.
- Add rice and stir well to combine and heat through.
- Add Sherry or Madeira, stir and serve.
Cauliflower with Browned Butter & Pepper
Total time: 25 minutes
Browned butter adds a wonderful, nutty taste to vegetables. But, keeping in mind my desire for healthy foods, I use half olive oil... Feel free to use all butter.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 large head cauliflower
- 1 tbs butter
- 1 tbs olive oil
- salt
- lots of pepper (a seasoned pepper is nice)
Instructions:
- Cut cauliflower into pieces, put in steamer and steam over water for 15 - 20 minutes until fork-tender.
- Remove from pan and empty water.
- Put butter into same pan and sauté until it turns light brown, being careful not to let it get too dark.
- Then add olive oil and pepper.
- Heat through and add cauliflower. Toss to coat, heat through and serve.
Cooking schedule: 50 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
small saucepan with lid, medium saucepan with
steamer basket and lid, skillet with lid
Rinse rice, start to cook
Slice mushrooms
Cut cauliflower
Chop onions, celery
Sauté chicken breasts
Turn chicken breasts
Steam cauliflower |
Remove chicken
Add mushrooms, vinegar to skillet, sauté
Add sherry, stir up brown bits
Return chicken, reduce heat, cover, simmer
Pause while stuff cooks - check the cauliflower
Rice starting to pop?
Sauté celery, onion for rice
Remove chicken,
cover; reduce sauce
Remove cauliflower; brown butter
Finish chicken, finish cauliflower
Drain rice, add sherry, onions, celery, stir
Serve all |