Fixed Meryl's Pasta and my Spring Chicken for dinner tonight...yum

desertjean

Well-known member
This dinner was gone in the blink of an eye.

Spring Chicken

Serves: 6

6 Chicken Thighs

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

6 Thick Slices of a Tomato

6 Large Basil Leaves

2 Teaspoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

Salt And Pepper (to taste)

1/2 Cup White Wine

6 Slices of Pancetta (or Bacon, cut in half)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix garlic, parsley, salt and pepper; set aside.

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken thighs. Over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Place thighs, skin side down, and brown, about 5 minutes.

Place chicken, skin side up, in a 9x13 baking pan. Top each piece with basil leafs, tomato slice, garlic mixture and a piece of pancetta (or criss cross 2 halves of bacon strips). Pour wine into pan.

Bake 45 minutes, basting occasionally.

From Meryl:

PASTA WITH GARLIC OIL AND TOASTED BREADCRUMBS

From the poster: "... Don't be afraid to toast the crumbs until dark brown. The crunchier the better!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb linguine or spaghetti (I used linguine)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt, for pasta water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/2 ounce parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 tablespoons) (I used Parmigiano Reggiano)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced - approx. 1 Tbsp (I used 6 large, crushed and chopped)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used about 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup dry vermouth (I used dry white wine)

1 teaspoon salt, for sauce (I used less)

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Adjust oven rack to middle position, place large oven-safe serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. (I omitted this step).

Prepare pasta according to directions on package, (poster's note: "Cook's Illustrated recommends 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to 4 quarts of water"), reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water before draining.

Heat butter in heavy-bottomed 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, toasted, and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and mix in cheese and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic; set aside. Wipe out now-empty skillet with large wad of paper towels.

Mix remaining minced garlic with 1 teaspoon water. Heat olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in cleaned skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add vermouth, reserved pasta cooking water, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer. Toss pasta and sauce in warm serving bowl; sprinkle breadcrumbs over and serve immediately. (I added pasta to skillet, tossed with garlic mixture, plated it, and sprinkled with breadcrumbs).

4-6 servings

From Cook's Illustrated, 2000

 
Back
Top