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Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

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You know those weekdays when it just seems daunting to THINK about cooking a meal much less actually doing it? Yep, I thought so…..

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

We cook a whole chicken almost weekly but it takes a while and some nights we aren’t home until late but I still find myself craving that roasted chicken….it’s such a great comfort food and is super delicious with ANY veggie that is in season. Change up the herbs, grill it, roast it, BBQ it…..the possibilities are endless.

So my solution on those late weeknights and cravings….lemon chicken with leek-pea sauce. Chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken because of the flavor and ANY time of year they sound delicious. They cook relatively quickly, stay moist, and if I just have time for a salad to accompany, that works out but if I can, I like to roast some baby potatoes along side……the cool thing about chicken is you can pair almost anything for a side that sounds yummy so get those creative juices flowing!

Now for the sauce, I mean seriously, it is SO good!  I use it on my fresh pasta and almost any of my pork recipes and WHENEVER I serve it at a dinner party, my guests think I am just amazing, thats how good it is….

There really isn’t any trick to this recipe EXCEPT make sure and crisp up those chicken thighs, it makes ALL the difference and I personally use a cast iron skillet because I love how hot it gets and how beautifully it sears the chicken. If you don’t have one, any pan will do but just remember it will splatter so, be careful!

My hope is  this recipe works for you on those weekdays when you feel daunted or even when you don’t, I promise, it’s delish!

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • For the Chicken Thighs:
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 rounds
  • For the Leek-Pea Sauce:
  • 3 large leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch piece
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • One 10-ounce package frozen baby peas, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • ½ cup crème fraîche
Instructions
  1. For the Chicken Thighs:
  2. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F
  3. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Tuck a few leaves of parsley and a sliver of butter under the chicken skin.
  4. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to a plate.
  5. Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pan and scatter the lemon slices on top. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 170°F (77°C), 25-30 minutes.
  6. Scatter an additional 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with leek-pea sauce underneath or on the side.
  7. For Leek-Pea Sauce:
  8. In the other skillet, heat olive oil and cook the leeks over high heat until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
  9. While chicken is resting, add the peas, parsley and crème fraîche and simmer until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Lemon Chicken with Leek-Pea Sauce

 

Squash Blossoms Over Baked Eggs

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Squash Blossoms with Baked Eggs 3

Squash Blossoms with Baked Eggs

About 20 plus years ago, someone mentioned to me they had eaten squash blossoms and I thought to myself, “why would anyone do that”? As with many things I have had to stick my foot in my mouth over, I was wrong, completely wrong. Squash blossoms rock, seriously they rock.

Stuffed and fried, sautéed in dishes, a top a pizza or baked on eggs (along with a million other ways) they are brilliant, simply brilliant; so when the season of squashes hits in late July and August, I pluck them from our garden as quickly as they come up (of course not the ones with the squash attached) and on the evening menu they go. In fact, the menu becomes revolved around them.

One of my favorite dishes is squash blossom over baked eggs. If I need a quick meal or a slow Sunday breakfast, this dish satisfies and never disappoints. Serve it up with warm toast or add roasted potatoes or both, your choice but make sure you have some homemade jam to accompany.

So I dare you to journey on my squash blossom fetish. This recipe is an easy way to get started and a guarantee of falling in love….with the blossom 🙂

Squash Blossoms Over Baked Eggs
 
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Author:
Cuisine: American
Serves: 3
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 small or medium squash, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 5 - 6 eggs
  • 1 sprig of tarragon, leaves only
  • 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
  • tallegio cheese
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T heavy cream
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to low broil.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add butter until hot. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute to release fragrance. Add squash and tomato and sauté for about 5 minutes or until squash begins to caramelize. Season with salt and pepper and add herbs and cream.
  3. Crack eggs one at a time and add to skillet and make sure there is room between them. Top with desired amount of cheese.
  4. Put under broiler for 3 minutes and add squash blossoms. Put back under broiler for another 3 minutes.
  5. Remove and serve in individual bowls with bread and butter

Squash Blossoms with Baked Eggs 1

 

 

Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs

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Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs 1

You know those weekdays when it just seems daunting to THINK about cooking a meal much less actually doing it? Yep, I thought so…..

We cook a whole chicken almost weekly but it takes a while and some nights we aren’t home until later but I still find myself craving that roasted chicken….it’s such a great comfort food.

My solution on those late weeknights and cravings….baked crispy chicken thighs! They are my favorite part of the chicken because of the flavor and ANY time of year they sound delicious. They cook relatively quickly and if I just have time for a salad to accompany, that works out but if I can, I like to roast some baby potatoes along side……the cool thing about chicken is you can pair almost anything for a side that sounds yummy to you so, go big!

This baked crispy chicken thigh dish is adapted from my whole roasted chicken recipe but you can change up the herbs and use thyme, rosemary, or tarragon, they are ALL good.

I hope this recipe works for you on those weekdays when you feel daunted or even when you don’t, I promise, it’s delish!

Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs 3

Baked Crispy Chicken Thighs
 
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This is a PERFECT quick, easy, and delicious weeknight dinner! Serve with potatoes and a salad!
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 rounds
Instructions
  1. Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F
  2. Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Tuck a few leaves of parsley and a sliver of butter under the chicken skin.
  3. Heat the tablespoon of butter in a large ovenproof skillet or fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer, skin side up, to a plate.
  4. Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Return the chicken, skin side up, to the pan and scatter the lemon slices on top. Transfer to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh, away from the bone, registers 170°F (77°C), 25-30 minutes.
  5. Scatter an additional 2-3 tablespoons of fresh herbs on top. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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Filet Mignon with Bagna Cauda Butter, Sauteed Marsala Mushrooms and Sliced Baked Potatoes

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Rachie steak 1

What makes the perfect steak? Is it the accompaniments or the preparation? Is it both? Is it using a classic preparation or an innovative one?

So much to ponder…..the perfect steak. I have completely shied away from this simple yet not easy skill. For me it’s a classic preparation with innovative accompaniments. I would call this is the perfect steak or shall I say the perfect steak meal.

So why the resistance? Ummmmmm well, I am not a “grill-girl” nor do I have the perfect gas stove and oven to create the optimal cooking environment. But that is true of any of the dishes I create in my kitchen and I don’t resist them so why the “all American signature dish?”

It came clear, I was intimidated because I didn’t trust my ability to “hone in” and make it all come together, to put aside the chatter and just take the information I researched and go down into my inner chef and let her rock and roll!

It was my husband’s birthday weekend and I couldn’t think of a more perfect time. It’s in January, right after the holidays, cold and dark outside but a perfect evening for a steak palapolozza even though it is just the 2 of us….perfect time for a coming out party!

This year his birthday was on a Saturday so I had plenty of time to shop and prepare. First, I went to the butcher for the perfect cut of filet minion, 2 – 8 ounces of sheer bliss…..From there, off to my local sources for the accompaniments of potatoes, green beans, and wild mushrooms. Oh, I can’t forget the wine, my God no its my right hand to get me through this…….so down to the local wine shop for a great 2007 brunello. Now I am ready to begin the maiden voyage….let’s first start with a glass of the fabulous wine….

Since I make my own compound butters I decided to jazz up the potatoes and filets. Roasted garlic butter sounded divine for the sliced baked potatoes then top them off with fresh herbs and raclette cheese. For the filets, bagna cauda butter sounded exquisite, a wonderful combination of garlic, anchovy, and butter….the PERFECT basting sauce.

The mushrooms were calling for caramelized shallots with marsala wine and the green beans wanted to float in a garlic oil bath. I felt like a musical was happening in our house as everything was singing so incredibly together, I’m sure the wine was helping me to hear….

I set the cast iron skillet on top of the stove and preheated the oil. It was go time, everything else was prepared and done and it was the moment to cook the steaks…..I tapped my inner chef and we began…..I seasoned the filets with salt and pepper and set them down into the pan, SIZZLE….it was music to my ears……I then put in some bagna cauda butter to melt and fresh rosemary. I spooned some over the top while the filets seared and then flipped them over. So far so good (whew) and now to finish in the oven, the magical moment where it all comes together (or not) and then off to rest for 15.

I served up a beautiful presentation, the filets in the middle of a big white plate topped high with sautéed mushrooms and a terra-cotta bowl nestled alongside for the potato. Time for another glass of wine as it was the hour of truth…..

I took a bite and so did he, we looked at each other and said just one word……PERFECT……

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Potato

Filet Mignon with Bagna Cauda Butter, Sauteed Marsala Mushrooms and Sliced Baked Potatoes
 
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What makes the perfect steak? Is it using a classic preparation or an innovative one? For me it’s a classic preparation with innovative accompaniments.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 - 8 ounce center-cut tenderloin steaks, at least 2-3 inches thick
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 8 ounces of shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • ⅛ - ¼ cup marsala wine
  • 2 medium russet potatoes
  • 3 ounces of shredded raclette cheese, or any sharp cheese
  • bunch of parsley chopped
  • 2 heads of garlic, roasted and chopped
  • 2 sticks of butter
  • 1 small jar of anchovies, finely chopped
  • 8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Roasted Garlic:
  2. Take 2 heads of garlic and put in foil. Top with oil, salt, pepper, a few small chunks of butter. Roast at 350 for about 45 minutes or until golden. Take out of oven and remove cloves, chop.
  3. For the roasted garlic butter:
  4. Bring 1 stick of butter to room temperature, soft enough to stir with a wooden spoon.
  5. Stir in the roasted garlic, blend well.
  6. For the bagna cauda butter:
  7. Bring 1 stick of butter to room temperature, soft enough to stir with a wooden spoon.
  8. Stir in garlic and anchovies, blend well
  9. For mushrooms:
  10. In a medium saucepan on stovetop, put in 2 T olive oil and add shallots. Stir and cook until slightly caramelize. Add marsala wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and a little more olive oil or butter and cook until mushrooms are soft. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
  11. For potatoes:
  12. Preheat oven to 400
  13. Peel potatoes and rinse. Cut into thin slices but NOT all the way through and slightly spread part.
  14. Put potatoes in a baking dish
  15. Melt some of the roasted garlic butter, about 3 T, and spoon over top of potato along with salt, pepper, and herbs, getting some between each slice.
  16. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Once or twice during cooking, spoon melted butter from the bottom of the pan over potatoes. Top with cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.
  17. For filet minions:
  18. minutes before cooking, pull filets out and bring to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper.
  19. In a medium cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, heat 3T of olive oil until hot. Add steaks and some bagna cauda butter and 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Spoon some butter over top and cook for 3 minutes. Flip over, put in another area of pan for equal heat, and cook another 3 minutes and spoon over butter. Immediately place in 400 degree oven for 8 minutes. Every 3 minutes baste with butter. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes.
  20. Notes:
  21. Remaining compound butters can be stored either in a container in fridge or placed on a sheet of saran wrap and formed into a log and stored in fridge.
  22. If you want filets to be done same time as potatoes, time accordingly as they cook at same temperatures and be sure to include 15 minutes of resting time for filets.

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