ISO: ISO dinner recipe for a delicate social/health situation

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amanda_pennsylvania

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Hi all! I've been in a cooking funk for a few months and I think I've solved the problem: not visiting this board enough. smileys/smile.gif I just got out of the habit of checking and contributing and have really been struggling with what to cook. I've spent the last couple of days going back through the posts and am feeling inspired again. You all are the best.

So, I turn to you again for a recipe. Some of you may remember that my mom died about three years ago. Well, my dad (after a long mourning period) has begun seeing a former college friend and is bringing her to meet all of us next weekend. She sounds lovely, and I'm looking forward to meeting her. (My aunt has already met her and likes her a lot, so that's very positive.)

So they are coming for dinner and I need something that will not require a lot of fussing over but that has some amount of WOW factor. My go-to dish in these occasions is coq au vin, but my mom used to cook that quite a lot, so I'd like to avoid any such associations for my dad.

The health issues is that my dad suffers from gout and is having a flare up, so he's avoiding beef, beans, and alcohol. So my idea of flank steak is out.

I was thinking a rosemary roasted chicken with roasted autumn vegetables--that seems fairly easy and something my dad can eat. Anyone have any thoughts? I am throwing myself on your collective wisdom...

 
Another chance to plug my Provencal Chicken. You can make it a day or two ahead

and all you have to do is reheat it. Serve with rice, and voila! Much less last minute work than a roast chicken. I served it to Steve2 recently and he loved it--so you know it's good.

It's a comforting stew but different enough from coq au vin. The sauce is very lean and there is no wine in it. My father died recently and though my wise sisters forbade me from cooking for the funeral reception, they agreed to let me tackle dinner the night before for all the family and friends who had travelled to join us. I cooked six chickens! It was very well received and just what we all needed. I served it with the rice and the zucchini listed in this link from the menus section.

My mother passed away twelve years ago and my father had also found a wonderful companion--a widowed friend who my mom had really liked. We love her and were so happy they had what her son called their "surprise second chapter."

Good luck.

http://eat.at/swap/forum28/85_Summer_Provencal_Buffet

 
Easy Orange Chicken from T&T - I've made this countless times:

EASY ORANGE CHICKEN

As the chicken cooks, the seasoned-flour coating thickens the orange juice into a wonderful sauce. Be sure to use the juice from fresh oranges, the recipe doesn't work as well with orange juice from concentrate.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used a very rounded 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (I used a very rounded 1/2 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I used a very rounded 1/2 tsp)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (I used about 1 tsp)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
(I also added about 1 tsp onion powder
6 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds) (I used 3 large)
2 tablespoons cooking oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
3 oranges, juice of (1 cup juice) (I used about 2 extra Tbsp)
1 teaspoon sugar (optional)*See note below
Hot cooked rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large plastic bag, combine flour, salt, curry powder, garlic powder, and pepper; add chicken and shake to coat, reserving any extra flour mixture. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken breasts and cook about 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. (I cooked all three chicken breast halves at the same time, in 2 Tbsp oil, about 2 - 2 1/2 minutes per side). Transfer chicken to a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Repeat with remaining chicken and oil. Stir any remaining flour mixture into pan drippings in skillet. Remove from heat.
3. Carefully pour orange juice into flour mixture in skillet; stir until smooth. Pour juice mixture over chicken.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, (I baked the chicken for about 25 minutes, basting occasionally), or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired. (I served it with saffron rice with a very light orange flavor).

*Note: If oranges are not sweet, add 1 teaspoon sugar to orange juice before adding to skillet.

Makes 6 servings (or 3 generous servings).

Edited from Hometown Cooking

 
Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Glaze and Mustard Mashed Potatoes

Chicken Breasts with Tarragon & Grainy Mustard Sauce, Chicken Puttansesca, SCALLOPS WITH "MELTED" LEEKS AND TARRAGON-CAPER BUTTER,

All of it is simple and not too lengthy in preparation.

Plus:

Grilled Herbed Salmon
2 salmon fillets that mirror each other with skin on (you could easily do a whole filleted salmon) lemon for slices lemon for juice melted butter fresh herbs just picked from your garden such as; Rosemary, thyme, basil, dill, tarragon, oregano, cilantro

Lay three or four pieces of string parrallel to each other on the counter (or use a grill basket). Place your herbs perpendicular on the string, enough herbs to cover the fillet.

Lay one side of the salmon on the herbs, skin down. place lemon slices on the salmon. drizzle melted butter on the lemon. Top with the other filet. Lay more herbs on the salmon. Tie the strings around both pieces. squirt lemon juice on both sides. Let the fish sit for about 1 hour a room temp.

On a very hot fire, grill with the coals around the fish, not under it and the lid on the grill.

On a gas grill, turn off one burner and grill over it. We have found that about 12 minutes per inch of thickness is good for a nice size salmon (each filet about 1 1/2 in thick). The herbs are fresh so they do not burn.

When you pull the herbs off, the skin comes with them. Make sure your guests see the fish before and after grilling - a really good presentation. I serve it with a "tartar" sauce made of homemade mayo, capers, lemon juice, dill and finely chopped red onion.

Chicken Breasts with Spinach, Pears and Blue Cheese

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 large bunch spinach, washed, dried and tough stems removed (about 4 to 6 cups of the leaves)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 ripe Anjou pears, cored and sliced into 1/2" slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Season each chicken breast generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until lightly golden on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until the chicken is done, about 8 to 15 minutes, depending on size and thickness of the chicken breasts.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Add onion and cook until just softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach and toss until wilted - if there is excess liquid, drain most of it away. Season to taste with salt and pepper - evenly divide the spinach mixture between 4 plates. Quickly wipe out pan and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar. When heated, stir in pears and reduce heat to low - cook just long enough to warm the pears through. Stir in parsley. Slice chicken breasts and arrange them on top of the plates of wilted spinach. Evenly top each plate with the warmed pear slices and sprinkle each serving with about 2 tablespoons of cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

 
I leave it on and it kind of disappears. I've tried browning it first and it seemed

to accentuate it. It also muddied the flavor a bit, so I went back to straight poaching. Less work!

The skin could be removed after cooking and before saucing but I've never found it necessary.

 
Thanks, all. This is great--lots to choose from.

I can't cook all of these for Sunday, but will definitely be trying these out. I've been looking for more fish recipes, so I really appreciate those.

 
I second this. I've made it several times, and it's delicious. Over angel hair pasta, it's divine,

although I reduced the red pepper flakes by half.

 
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