From Denny: Chef Ed Brown rustled up a more interesting menu to start off the New Year. OK, so he hooked me with the easy and simple lemon chicken as we love anything lemon at our house. And those Portobello fries look awesome! What can I say? I'm a big fan of brain food - my fav mushroom! :)
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Lemon chickenFrom: Chef Ed Brown
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin cutlets (approx. 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper, ground
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth or water
• 16 each paper-thin lemon slices with the skin
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked, washed, dried, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS
• Combine flour, salt and pepper and place in baking dish.
• In a large nonreactive skillet, melt 1/2 the butter over medium fire.
• Dust the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shake off excess.
• Place chicken into the melted butter and reduce flame a little so it cooks slowly with NO color, turn after 2 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and wine, simmer 3 minutes.
• Remove chicken to serving platter, add stock to pan and increase heat to high, when boiling add remaining butter and simmer until reduced to half; cook 3-4 minutes.
• Place lemon slices and parsley over chicken.
• Pour sauce over the chicken.
Roasted carrotsFrom: Chef Ed Brown
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 2 bunches medium, fresh carrots with tops, washed, trimmed not peeled
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place carrots on baking sheet, coat with oil and season. Place in oven and roast until tender, approximately 25 minutes.
Smashed potatoes with olive oil and parsleyFrom: Chef Ed Brown
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 8 each medium Yukon Gold or red bliss potatoes
• 3 quarts water
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup best quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked, washed, dried, roughly chopped
• Fleur de sel or kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
• Bring potatoes, water, salt, bay leaves and garlic to a boil in a large pot.
• When fork-tender, approximately 18 minutes, drain water, discard garlic and bay leaves, return potatoes to pot.
• Add oil, salt and pepper, then use either a potato masher or a large fork and roughly smash mixture. Add parsley, check seasoning.
Portobello fries with soy dipping sauceFrom: Chef Ed Brown
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
Portobello fries
• 8 each portobello mushrooms
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups club soda
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 cups canola oil
• Sea salt
Soy dipping sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ketjap manis sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 slice fresh ginger, smashed
DIRECTIONS
Method for portobello fries
Remove the stems and the gills from the bottom of the portobello mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms like steak fries. Lightly dust the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix the flour, club soda, eggs and kosher salt to form a batter. Dip the portobello fries in the tempura batter. Blanch the fries in the canola oil at 325 degrees F. Drain on a dry towel and let cool.
Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Cook the blanched fries in the hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain on a dry towel. Season with the sea salt.
Method for soy dipping sauce
Mix the soy sauce, ketjap manis, Thai fish sauce, mirin and rice wine vinegar. Add the ginger. Marinate overnight. Strain through a fine chinois or other small mesh strainer.
Endive, watercress and pomegranateFrom: Chef Ed Brown
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 3 endive, split, cored, cut lengthwise in 1-inch segments
• 1 bunch fresh watercress, washed, dried, remove large stems
• 1 fresh pomegranate, remove seeds only, discard rest
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
In a salad bowl, combine all ingredients, season, toss, serve.
*** ALSO: Tummy Warming Desserts for The New Year
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