So, as you might’ve noticed, it’s been roughly 6 months since I posted last. Due to work constraints, commitments, and hitting the 100 recipe mark (will update this later), I’ve been sticking to the familiar stuff through the last two seasons and I figured I’d be boring you all with posts of the same stuff over and over again.
Well, that was the fastest 6 months ever.
Now, I’m back (not really with a vengeance)! Currently in the middle of an Italian food kick (Don’t know why, but I feel like this weather is great for some Italian) so that’s what you’ll see over the next few posts (I think). It also could be I have a thing for anything with noodles. And sauce. Just flipping through the 50+ pages of different sauces in Marcella Hazan’s definitive cookbook had my drooling into a bowl. Literally.
So I decided to get off my (lazy) bum and cook some new stuff up. One quick trip to Russo’s later and I’m ready with ingredients fit for the next week (and 3 different sauces…I can’t wait!).
This time I made some fettucini alfredo, would you believe that I’ve never made it before? Normally, I’ve associated the dish with a soft pile of cheesy overcooked noodles with heaps of butter on top. Maybe just some horrible memories of leftovers one time but needless to say, it’s not a dish I normally would pick out of a menu. But Marcella to the rescue! Her version is decidedly less buttery and more savory…not to mention incredibly easy to make and a good compliment to a lot of Italian main courses.
And for a main course? Lemon parsley chicken. I’ve had this a couple times before, most notably by my friend’s mother years ago when I was in middle school (Hmm, that’s something like 15 years ago, eesh).
Anyway, here we go!
Both recipes are adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
Lemon Parsley Chicken
Serves 4
Time : 30 minutes
Ingredients:
– 1 tbsp canola oil
– 2 tbsp butter
– 1 whole chicken breast, halved, cut into 4 fillets (details below)
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 1 lemon
– 3 tbsp chopped parsley
– red pepper flakes (optional)
Method:
1. Prepping the chicken breast. Cut the whole chicken breast in half. Take each half, press firmly down onto the cutting board with your palm and carefully slice horizontally in half. You should end up with 4 chicken cutlets. Using parchment paper, pound each cutlet to about 1/4 inch thickness.
2. Add canola oil and 1.5 tbsp butter to a frying pan large enough to hold all of the cutlets. Turn to medium high.
3. After the butter melts, add the chicken cutlets. Cook about 30-45 seconds on each side and then remove. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.
4. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the pan. Simmer briefly for about 30 seconds and scrape up any loose bits of chicken stuck to the pan.
5. Add the chopped parsley and the rest of the butter, stir vigorously to combine and turn the heat to low.
6. Add the chicken cutlets back to the pan.
7. Cook another few minutes on each side, making sure to turn the fillets over in the sauce 2-3 times to coat well then remove to a platter and serve.
Fettucini Alfredo
Serves 4
Time : 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lb fettucini or other pasta
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of nutmeg
Method
1. In a large saute pan, add 2/3 cup of heavy cream and the butter over medium heat. Cook about a minute until thickened. Turn off heat and remove
2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. You’ll want slightly underdone pasta (it’ll finish in the saute pan) so make sure to taste the pasta as the timer gets close. Drain in a colander.
3. Add he pasta to the pan with the sauce, turn the heat to low and toss the pasta to thoroughly coat each noodle.
4. Add the rest of the cream, 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, the pinch of nutmeg. Add some salt and pepper gradually, tasting as you go.
5. Toss the pasta again to mix well, taste and add salt/pepper as necessary, then remove to a serving bowl with the rest of the parmesan cheese on the side.
