Chicken Scaloppine with Sugar Snap Pea, Asparagus, and Lemon Salad

From Cooking Light - So easy and fresh tasting.


Ingredients

* 3 cups julienne-cut trimmed sugar snap peas (about 1 pound)
* 2 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound)
* 6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Cooking spray
* 1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1/3 cup dry white wine
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
* 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 6 lemon wedges

Preparation

1. Steam peas and asparagus, covered, 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse pea mixture with cold water; drain. Chill.

2. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 2 breast halves to pan; sauté 2 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure twice with remaining chicken. Add broth and wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter.

3. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, mint, oil, rind, and juice, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle oil mixture over pea mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve pea mixture with chicken and sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges.

Oeufs en Cocotte avec Sauce au Cari

I read both "My Life in France" by Julia Child and "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell on my last plane trip. Read these books in that order--better than Iron Chef on the Food Network! Anyhow, after I flew into PWM, I ran to Borders to get these recipes and it was SOO worth it. I like adding chopped, fresh herbs to my "ouefs."



Oeufs en Cocotte

Per serving:

* 1/2 teaspoon butter
* 1 ramekin 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches high
* 2 tablespoons whipping cream
* A pan containing 3/4 inch of simmering water
* 1 or 2 eggs


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter ramekin, saving a dot for later. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and set the ramekin in the simmering water over moderate heat. When the cream is hot, break 1 or 2 eggs. Pour in the remaining spoonful of cream over the egg and top with a dot of butter.

2. Place in middle level of preheated oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes. The eggs are done when they are just set but still tremble slightly in the ramekins. They will set a little more when the ramekins are removed, so they should not be overcooked.

3. Season with salt and pepper and serve. The ramekins may remain in the hot water, out of the oven, for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. To prevent overcooking, remove eggs from oven when slightly underdone.

***

Sauce au Cari

You can half this for 4 servings of eggs and still have leftover. I warmed up leftover, thinly sliced steak in my remaining curry sauce.

* 1/2 cup finely minced white or yellow onions
* 4 tablespoons butter
* An 8-cup enameled saucepan
* 2 to 3 tablespoons curry powder
* 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups boiling milk
* 4 to 6 tablespoons whipping cream
* Salt and pepper
* Lemon juice
* 1 to 2 tablespoons softened butter

To use this sauce in Oeufs en Cocotte, substitute 2 tablespoons sauce for the whipping cream. Leftover sauce can be used atop chicken, vegetables, fish or lamb. (Or, as I did, put a dollop of the sauce on top of the eggs rather than substituting for the cream.)


1. Cook onions and butter on low heat for 10 minutes without allowing onions to color.

2. Stir in curry powder and cook slowly for 2 minutes. Add flour and stir over low heat for 3 minutes.

3. Off heat, blend in boiling milk. Return to heat and simmer slowly for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The stir in 4 to 6 tablespoons cream by tablespoons, until sauce has thinned to consistency you wish. Check seasoning, and add lemon juice to taste. Off heat, and just before using, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter and if using, parsley.

Source: "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 1961)

Halibut Fish Tacos

I kind of played with ingredients today so don't have exact measurements, but yummmmmmm.


Tempura Batter for halibut:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup ice cold beer
1 t Adobo seasoning
Emeril Essence
(let sit for 10 min)

Oil for frying halibut (cut into fish stick size) @ 350 degrees. After frying, lay fish on paper bag.

Salsa:
chopped jalapeno
diced fresh mango
chopped mint
juice of 1 lime
4 sliced scallions

Cole Slaw:
sour cream
mayo
rice vinegar
2 chipotle in adobo, chopped finely
slaw mix

Wrap all in warm flour tortillas