Chicken with San Marzano Tomatoes Fresh Herbs and Ricotta Salata

This chicken dish is elegant yet easy to prepare - I've been making it for years and it's always a crowd pleaser, whether for a weekday supper or a dinner party.

Chicken with San Marzano Tomatoes Fresh Herbs and Ricotta Salata

4-6 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1.5 cups canned, diced San Marzano tomatoes with juice

2 ripe vine tomatoes, chopped (optional)

1 cup Ricotta Salata cheese, cubed

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 - 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

4-6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

2 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper or to taste

2-3 tbs. good quality extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil and add chicken. Cook about 3 minutes on each side until lightly browned but not cooked through. Add chopped garlic to the skillet and saute about 30 seconds. Transfer the chicken and garlic/oil to a large casserole or baking dish*. Add the wine, tomatoes with juice, and Ricotta Salata to the dish. Scatter the fresh herbs and olives evenly on top of the chicken. Dish can be prepared up to this point, covered, and refrigerated over night if necessary.

Cover the dish with foil and bake 30-35 minutes until chicken is cooked through - this may depend on the thickness of your cutlets. 

While browning the chicken gives a nice extra layer of flavor, I've made this dish without that step and it's still delicious. If you're pressed for time or don't feel like dirtying an extra skillet, use this shortcut method:

Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the bottom of your baking dish. Skip browning the chicken in a skillet and place raw, seasoned chicken cutlets directly into the dish. Add garlic, tomatoes with juice, Ricotta Salata, and wine. Top with fresh herbs and olives. Cover with foil and bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Herbed Orzo

For this recipe, you can scoop about 1-2 cups of the tomato/broth/cheese/olive mixture from the chicken recipe and add it to your cooked orzo as a base. You can then add additional Ricotta Salata, tomatoes, and herbs to taste. The following recipe, however, stands on its own and can be served as a warm or cold pasta salad.

About 10 oz. orzo (I used 365 Whole Foods Brand)

4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water

1/2 cup Ricotta Salata cheese

1/2 cup fresh or canned San Marzano tomatoes

2 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped

2-3 basil leaves, chopped

1-2 tbs. extra virgin olive

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Toast the dry orzo slightly - about 2 minutes. Then add water or broth and cook according to package directions (about 7-9 minutes). When the orzo is cooked and liquid is absorbed, add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. If you are making this with the chicken dish, add the 1-2 cups tomato mixture at this time and adjust the other ingredients as necessary. 

Friday Night Dinner: Sweet and Spicy Orange Roasted Chicken Noodle Kugel, and Smashed Cauliflower.

Sweet and Spicy Orange Roasted Chicken

One 2-3 lb. roasting chicken

1 cup good quality orange marmalade (preferably with lots of peel)

1/4 cup orange juice

2-3 cloves garlic

2 tbs. sweet chili sauce (you can find this in the Asian section of your grocery store)

2 tbs. your favorite teriyaki sauce (such as Soyaki brand)

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs. olive oil for coating chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine marmalade, chili sauce, orange juice, and teriyaki sauce - it should be pourable and not too think, add a bit more juice if needed. Rub chicken on both sides with olive oil. Season on both sides, inside and out, with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stuff cavity with garlic cloves. Place chicken in a baking dish or roasting pan and pour sauce over to coat. You can marinate chicken from one hour to overnight if you want to really infuse the flavor, but it isn't necessary. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on chicken size.

Noodle Kugel with Dried Fruit

1 bag wide egg noodles

About 3/4 of a 16oz container of low fat sour cream

16 oz low fat or regular cottage cheese

1/2 pack or 4 oz full fat or low fat cream cheese cut into small chunks (optional)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup organic sugar

2 tbs. Earth Balance or butter

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

1 tsp. salt or to taste

About 1/2 cup golden raisins or cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese if you're using it, sugar, and seasonings. Mix thoroughly, then add eggs and stir to combine. Add noodles (and cherries or raisins if you want them). Pour into a deep, greased casserole dish and dot the top with pieces of Earth Balance. Bake for 30-40 minutes. After 30 minutes check firmness - should be firm yet soft, but the center should not be jiggly. If the center is not yet done but the top is getting too brown, cover it with aluminum foil for the remaining cook time. Can be made a week ahead and frozen or a few days ahead and refrigerated.

Smashed Cauliflower

This is a tasty, lower-carb alternative to mashed potatoes

1 medium head of fresh or one bag of frozen cauliflower florets cooked until tender
1/4 cup soy creamer, soy milk, or milk
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbs. Earth Balance or butter
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
Grate of fresh nutmeg

Using a potato masher, smash the cooked and drained cauliflower with the Earth Balance until slightly creamy but not too smooth. Add seasonings and liquid and combine well. You can do this in a food processor as well if you want a smoother puree.

I also sauteed my favorite blend of greens (kale, swiss chard, and mustard greens) with pieces of Wellshire brand uncured Canadian Turkey Bacon - a great lower fat alternative to regular Canadian bacon!

Organic Muscovy Duck with Blackberry Cherry Sauce - full recipe

As promised, here are some picture of my completed Valentine's dinner as well as updated recipes.

Organic Muscovy Duck with Blackberry Cherry Sauce

Blackberry Cherry Sauce

1 jar cherry preserves (with whole fruit pieces)
1/2 cup blackberry jam or preserves
1/2 cup port wine (you can also use sherry or red wine or fruit juice)
1/2 cup whole pitted cherries and a bit of the juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs garlic herb butter or Earth Balance
1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter or Earth Balance and add the garlic. Saute until tender but not browned. Add the cherry jam, cherries, and the blackberry jam. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the jams become liquid, then add the wine and stir. Let the mixture simmer and reduce for about 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. This can be made ahead a time (even a day or two) and kept in the refridgerator until needed

Note: I had some time and felt enterprising so I did make this sauce in the afternoon before I made my duck. But you can also finish searing your meat of choice drain a bit of the fat from the pan and make this sauce right in the same pan for a delicious flavor layer.
 

Also, I didn't add in the whole cherries this time because alas I tried and tried but could not open the jar and my husband was still at work so he could not help. But the sauce was still delicious anyway!

Duck breast

2 duck breast fillets (I used Maplewood farms Musvovy duck breast)
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1/2 tbs olive oil or butter or Earth Balance
 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season your duck fillets on both sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using. In a saute pan over medium-high, heat heat the olive oil (or butter or Earth Balance) - you don't need much as the duck skin contains lots of fat. Place the duck breasts in the pan skin side down and sear until browned, about 3-5 minutes depending on the fillet size. Turn over and sear other side 2-3 minutes on the other side. At this point, pour in almost all of your  sauce(if you have made it ahead of time) reserving about 1/3 cup for topping later. If you have not made your sauce yet, transfer the duck fillets to another plate, drain some but not all of the fat out off the pan. Add your new butter and follow directions for making the sauce. Add the duck fillets back in the pan then place it in the oven for approximately 4-6 minutes depending on how rare you like your duck. Let the duck rest for a few minutes after removing from the oven.

I was originally going to make a side of sauteed spinach with garlic, but I found a small container of leftover mixed greens in my fridge so I added them to the spinach as well. It was a great combo! 

Look for my recipe for the greens in next blog post this week: Sauteed Mixed Greens with Spicy Chicken (or  Soy Sausage) with Creamy Polenta

Valentines Dinner #2: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce and

For my Valentines day dinner, I am planning to make Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Butter, Sauteed Fresh Spinach with Garlic, and Molten Chocolate Cakes for dessert. As I am making the dinner fresh tomorrow, I will provide the pictures then. Meanwhile here are the recipes:

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce

You can also substitute fillet mignon rounds or chicken breast instead of the duck. The sauce would be delicious on all three proteins.

Cherry Port Wine Sauce 

  

8- 10 oz jar of good quality all natural whole cherry jam (you can also change the flavor of the sauce by using blackberry or black raspberry jam)

1/2 cup pitted cherries and juice (optional - I like jarred morello cherries. Trader Joes also carries pitted cherries in a glass jar)
1/4 cup port wine (you can also use red wine, triple sec, brandy or fruit juice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Earth Balance spread, butter or garlic-herb butter
1/2-1 tsp salt or to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the garlic. Saute just until tender, about 30-40 seconds. Add in the jar of jam, the port or wine, and the cherries. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over cooked duck breast.

This sauce is also fantastic over steak or chicken breast - and if you omitted the garlic and reduced the sauce a little more more it would be delicious over ice cream as well.

Seared duck breast

You can cook your duck according to the directions on the package you're using. I will be using Maplewoods Farms duck breast fillets. Remember to season the duck breasts generously with salt and fresh ground pepper before cooking.  I am going to saute the duck in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil, skin side down, until browned. Add some of the cherry sauce to the pan, then finish them off in the oven until cooked through, but still tender. Top with the remaining sauce before serving.

Truffled Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

3-5 medium-large organic potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold are best) OR you can cheat by using Alexia brand frozen organic Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. Prepare according to directions, then add the remaining ingredients.)

2-3 tbs. Earth Balance spread

1-2 tbs. black truffle butter (I used D'artagnan brand) OR 1 tsp. or a drizzle black truffle oil*

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (more if you like it really cheesy)

3/4 - 1 cup Silk brand soy creamer OR milk

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes if you wish (I generally don't when I use Yukon gold), then cut them into chunks. Place into a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain. With a potato masher, smash them down a little bit. Add salt, pepper, soy creamer, cheese, truffle butter/oil, and Earth Balance. Continue to mash until they reach desired smoothness. Adjust seasonings if necessary and add more soy creamer if they need to be thinned out.

Serve duck and mashed potatoes with a side of spinach lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

These are to die for! Delicious, ultra rich, gooey in the center, baked in a muffin tin and served warm with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream if desired. The batter can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until baking time or made ahead and frozen. Makes 6-8 cakes.

6 oz bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chopped or Ghiradelli 60% chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tbs or 3/4 stick unsalted organic butter
1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate (chips or chunks)
4 large egg whites beaten with 1/8 tsp cream of tarter to form soft peaks
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 small grind of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 grease muffin tins with butter or all natural cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, heat the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1-2 minutes checking and stirring with a wooden spoon every 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. This can also be done on the stove top over medium heat in  using a double boiler stirring often until melted.

Remove chocolate butter mixture from heat and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth, then add the vanilla, salt and pepper. Fold in 1/4 of the beaten egg whites mixture until well combined, Then fold in the remaining egg whites.  Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full with batter. Bake until the cakes are slightly cracked on top but still gooey in the center about 7-8 minutes (a little longer if batter has been refrigerated first). Let cool slightly and serve with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Raspberry Sauce 

1 pint or 1/2 bag defrosted organic raspberries
1/4 cup framboise (raspberry liquor) OR substitute another fruity liquor such as triple sec or crème de cassis OR use 2 tbs defrosted frozen orange juice for a non-alcoholic version
2 tbs sugar or agave syrup

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and let stand 5-10 minutes or over night. Serve with chocolate cakes.