Today I am giving you some ideas about very easy dishes that you can prepare in advance, a day in advance of a dinner party, so that you can enjoy the company of your guests, or even days ahead of a busy working week. They are also a crowd pleaser, if you have young children you are sure that they are going to gobble them up. You can also consider them your go to dishes when you have little time to cook dinner. I made the chicken dish for the same event I made the mahshi, stuffed vegetables. I even made it the same day, after I started cooking the veggies that were stuffed the day before. But as I said, it helps if you cook it the day before and be ready to enjoy yourself with your guests.
CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
This particular dish was easier than expected. It also was very well liked by the kids, even those who try to be finicky and make their moms miserable. Yes, every family has those. I used thighs, they are more tender and if cooked without adding fat, oil or butter, they don't become as dry as the breasts. Still you can use breasts if you want, or if your kids really don't eat thighs. But trust me, if you simply say it's chicken, they will not even notice which part of the chicken they are eating. I made a lot, since I had to feed 10 people, but you can make half the quantity, or even less, for just two. You'll need:
15 skinless, boneless chicken thighs fat trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch strips
2 mushroom containers (24 oz each), white and brown
3 to 4 tbsp flour
2 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp poultry gravy powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
In a large bowl mix the chicken, onion/garlic mixture, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let stand until you clean and slice the mushrooms. I usually don't rinse the mushrooms, but simply wipe them with a damp paper towel, then slice them. This prevent them to become mushy from excessive water.
Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat. Heat a non stick skillet large enough to hold the chicken almost in one layer. Add the chicken and let brown on one side before you start stirring. Each time you do that, give the chicken some time to brown. Add the mushrooms, and don't worry if they seem too much for the skillet, they will wilt down. When they start to do, stir the contents of the skillet once or twice, until all the mushrooms are browned too. At this point the chicken is done, but we need to add some sauce to the dish. Dissolve the gravy powder in a cup of hot water and add it to the skillet. Stir to incorporate, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced and you have a thick brown sauce. You're done.
RABBIT CACCIATORE
Last week, I went to the butcher's and my husband insisted on coming along. There, he can be like a child in a toy store: he wants to buy everything in huge quantities even though he doesn't eat as much any more. It took me effort and time to convince him that what I was ordering was more than enough, and we somehow managed to compromise. At the end I asked for rabbit, so he said " but I don't eat rabbit", I do, I answered quietly. Needless to say that he was waiting to see how I will handle this rabbit thing. It is too big for me to eat alone, and too little to invite someone over to share it with, let alone the fact that not everyone eats rabbit. Once at home, I started dividing our loot into portions for two. I also divided the rabbit in portions of two pieces each. That will be more than enough for me. When I decided to cook it, I didn't need any more stock, we had just made it with veal neck. I thought of making it with veggies in white sauce, but I had celery and no carrots. Luckily I had some leftover veggies from the mahshi party: two small peppers and some mushrooms. So I thought can I make rabbit cacciatore? Sure I can. You'll need:
2 pieces of rabbit, a thigh and a waist
1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
A sprinkle of flour
2 small peppers, yellow and orange, (or 1/4 bell pepper) cut into strips
12 to 15 mushrooms, depending on the size, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup green olives with pimento, sliced
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse the rabbit pieces, remove the membrane that you may find on it. It will come out easily if you just pull it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and flour over the rabbit to lightly coat. Heat the oil in a non stick skillet, and add the rabbit pieces. Let brown undisturbed on one side, then turn to brown on the other side.
Add the onion/garlic mixture and stir for a couple of minutes til fragrant. Add the mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt. Let cook stirring from time to time, to let the mushroom wilt and brown. Add the pepper strips, a dash of salt, stir until tender. Add the olives, the tomatoes and the herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let it simmer. Check on the rabbit, and keep adding water or stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rabbit is tender and the sauce reduced. Remove the sprigs of the herbs if you used them whole. Serve with a side of pasta or rice. I served it over cooked orzo.
No comments:
Post a Comment