Butter Breast of Chicken -- So much flavor you'll forget it is a chicken breast

When it comes to chicken,  I prefer dark meat for its flavor and juiciness.  Personally it is difficult for me to get excited about chicken breast.  So many times it dries out and is tough.  If you don't get an organic product or pound out your chicken, you are looking at a chicken breast that would need a D cup bra.  Yikes!

I was flipping through cookbooks yesterday on the hunt for a chicken recipe, and happened upon a recipe for Butter Breast of Chicken (recipe follows).  This recipe peaked my curiosity as it included many flavors I love.  Lemon zest is a tangy addition to any baked chicken dish.  Adding it to butter that will melt through the baking process in the middle of this rolled chicken breast could not be bad.

RECIPE:  Butter Breast of Chicken

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups panko breadcrumbs

In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon zest, white pepper and salt.  Spoon the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Shape the butter into a log, wrap tightly in the plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until firm.

Put 1 chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness, about 1/4 inch.  Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.  Place one quarter of the butter in the center of each breast and roll the chicken around the butter.  Secure each roll with a couple of toothpicks.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Set up three shallow dishes:  one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with the breadcrumbs.  Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, next dip in egg, then pat in breadcrumbs.  Set the chicken in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or until well browned and the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Courtesy of A Southerly Course by Martha Hall Foose (2011)

What's the result?  A taste sensation!  The butter keeps the chicken breast moist and juicy, and the lemon adds a tangy citrus kick.  The crunchy panko then gives this an additional dimension of crunchy goodness.  While the recipe did not call for seasoning the flour, I did add a little salt and pepper.  I also used Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs.

When I rolled the chicken, I found it easier to roll, then go through the dredging process, and finish with the toothpicks to hold in place.  The butter is firm enough to hold the chicken together when breading.  The toothpicks are probably  more important during the cooking process as the butter melts.

Chicken on the baking rack on a cookie sheet

I made a slight modification to how I baked the chicken from a tip I have picked up along the way.  I place a metal cooling rack on a cookie sheet, and spray it generously with cooking spray.  Keeping the chicken elevated off the baking sheet ensures that it is crunchy all the way around.  Now a casualty is we lost some of the buttery goodness that oozed out of the ends, but the chicken kept plenty of that flavor.

I underestimated what a hit this would be with the family.  I ended up with six cutlets, but there was a little arguing over who got the last piece.  Next time I need to make a couple more!

Seared Halibut and Gazpacho Salsa with Tomato Vinaigrette -- Tastes Like Summer

Last summer I discovered how flavorful gazpacho can be.  On our annual trip to Seagrove Beach, one of our friends made a delicious gazpacho that blended the great summer bounty of tomatoes and vegetables that the south has to offer.  I had forgotten how much we enjoyed that gazpacho until I came across a recipe in the new Smitten Kitchen Cookbook for Seared Halibut and Gazpacho Salsa with Tomato Vinaigrette.

In the summer, I love finding dishes that are light and have a contrast of hot and cold, as well as contrast in textures between crunch and soft.  This recipe delivers on both fronts.

The salsa that lays underneath the fish is a crunchy blend of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and bell peppers -- acidity, crunch and a little sweetness.   The recipe for the salsa does not call for any seasoning, but I added a little salt and pepper.  There is not overpowering seasoning in the other components, so seasoning each layer adds the right balance of flavor throughout the dish.  I had some fresh jalapenos from our little garden, but held off adding chopped jalapeno to the salsa this time.  (I like to try a recipe as is the first time I make it.)  Next time this would be a good addition for those that like a little heat.

In the recipe that follows, you will see it calls for halibut, but our fish market was out of halibut.  I used cod instead, but honestly, any white, mild fish would work.  

On top of the seared fish, you spoon a delicious tomato vinaigrette that is a simple blend of fresh pureed tomato, sherry vinegar, olive oil and seasoning.  When the vinaigrette is combined with the chopped vegetables, it tastes like gazpacho -- fresh, cool and tangy.  Adding the seared fish between the salsa and the vinaigrette, is a delicious combination of cool crunch, buttery fish and flavorful sauce.  The cod was especially flaky so the vinaigrette seeped into the crevices.  A summery blend of all that is good!  Grab a fresh french baguette to sop up that extra vinaigrette.

RECIPE:  Seared Halibut and Gazpacho Salsa with Tomato Vinaigrette

Tomato Vinaigrette

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped (peeled if desired)

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

table salt

freshly ground pepper

In a blender or food processor, puree the tomato until smooth.  Add sherry vinegar.  With machine running, drizzle in olive oil in a very thin stream.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Fish

4 six to eight ounce halibut fillets 

Olive oil to coat the pan

table salt

freshly ground pepper

Bring the halibut to room temperature.  Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides.  Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat.  Once the pan is hot, coat it evenly with olive oil. Once oil is hot, lay fish in the pan (depending on the size of your pan and how much fish you are cooking, you may need to cook this in multiple batches) and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is golden underneath but not sticking to the pan.  Carefully flip the fillets.  Cook for a few more minutes, until a fork cuts through easily and the fish is opaque white and flaky.

Salsa

2 large beefsteak or 4 medium Roma tomatoes (about 1 pound), seeded and diced

1/2 English cucumber, diced

2 bell peppers (red or combination of colors if available), chopped

1/2 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia, chopped

3 Tbs minced, fresh parsley

Toss the salsa ingredients together on a plate.  Arrange the halibut on top.  Drizzle on the vinaigrette  to taste.  Serve with additional vinaigrette on the side.

Courtesy of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman (2012)

Orecchiette with Salmon, Arugula and Artichokes -- A Light Summer Meal

Summer in Dallas has one guarantee, it is going to be hot.  I find this one of the most challenging times of year to be inspired to be in the kitchen (ovens and stove tops are hot too).  In addition to the heat, our kids are away at camp, and cooking dinner for two seems like a lot of effort.  The reality is you can only eat out so much before that looses its shine (not to mention the cost).

Sunday night, Walter gave me a challenge, and picked three recipes for me to choose from to make for Monday night.  He must have been in a fish mood, as my choices were Orecchiette with Salmon, Potato and Wild Salmon Cakes, and Trout Schnitzel.  After careful review, I opted for the Orecchiette with Salmon, Arugula and Artichokes from the Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2013.  (My mom was sweet to buy this for me, as I typically rip out recipes from magazines to file in my recipe notebook.   This compilation has all the 2012 recipes from Food and Wine.)

Orecchiette pasta is not one I have used in the past, but have enjoyed it in restaurants.  The pasta shape is like a little light pillow that allows all the flavor from your sauce to sit in it and on it.

This recipe suggests using leftover roasted salmon.   Since I didn't have leftovers, I roasted a piece of sock-eye salmon at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  I brushed the salmon with a little olive oil and sprinkled salt and fresh cracked pepper on top before roasting.   I am definitely going to file this recipe away for when I do have leftover salmon.  Another idea is to roast extra salmon next time we have it so I can use this recipe to make a second meal during a busy week.

The sauce is light and flavorful, and the combination of flavors works so well together.  My neighborhood grocery store did not have arugula on its own.  I had to opt for a baby spinach and arugula mix, which worked fine.

As a side we had a beautiful strawberry, goat cheese, walnut and spinach salad with a light red wine vinaigrette.  This was a filling yet light meal for a hot summer evening.