andreaindc
Well-known member
Made this tonight - plan to make the soup tomorrow night. The chicken with chard and the cauliflower gratin were great.
From the Portland Press Herald
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
THE MAINE INGREDIENT: Anne Mahle
MENU
Braised Chicken Breast with Bacon & Swiss Chardn Cauliflower Gratin
Two-for-one: Chicken Noodle Soup with Swiss Chard
You could maybe include a nice loaf of bread if you're needing it, but other than that, these flavors are wonderful together without requiring any additions.
We've served it the swiss chard with lemon, balsamic vinegar, garlic, roasted garlic, roasted pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese (not necessarily all at once!).
BRAISED CHICKEN BREAST WITH BACON AND SWISS CHARD
4 chicken breasts, bone in
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped and cleaned, stems separate from the leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
3 strips bacon, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400. Heat a large skillet (one with a lid), over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Heat the oil and carefully add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Sear for 8 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Turn and sear for another 8 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking on the second side, clear a space and add the bacon, keeping it in one spot in the pan. When it is done, transfer it out of the pan with a slotted spoon. When the chicken is a golden brown on the second side, remove it from the pan.
Drain the pan of all the fat and return it to the heat. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds to a minute, being careful not to burn it. As soon as it's done, add the Swiss chard stems to the pan to stop the garlic from cooking further. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes and then add the rest of the Swiss chard and the bacon. Add vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir all together and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Cover and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the chicken breasts are opaque throughout.
Serves four.
CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Place all of the cauliflower into the pot and cook for 2 minutes, or until the water boils again, whichever comes first. Pour into a strainer.
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk, cream, garlic, salt and nutmeg bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Place the cauliflower in a 9-by-13 casserole dish. Pour the milk and cream sauce over the cauliflower. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and combine it with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over top of the cauliflower and bake for 20 minutes or until the sides are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Serves six to eight.
TWO-FOR-ONE: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD
If you find that you've leftovers from the above recipe, one way to use them is to create another satisfying meal by turning them into soup.
If you've got big eaters in your family and you are sure that the four chicken breasts in the recipe above will vanish, buy two extra and save them for the soup.
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onions, diced
4 cups chicken breast meat, diced
1 cup cooked Swiss chard, or 3 cups uncooked
9 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta like orzo
GARNISH: Croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent. If you need to cook the Swiss chard, do that here. Then add the chicken meat, Swiss chard, stock and the black pepper.
Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for the required amount of time on the pasta box and serve. Garnish with croutons or Parmesan cheese.
From the Portland Press Herald
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
THE MAINE INGREDIENT: Anne Mahle
MENU
Braised Chicken Breast with Bacon & Swiss Chardn Cauliflower Gratin
Two-for-one: Chicken Noodle Soup with Swiss Chard
You could maybe include a nice loaf of bread if you're needing it, but other than that, these flavors are wonderful together without requiring any additions.
We've served it the swiss chard with lemon, balsamic vinegar, garlic, roasted garlic, roasted pine nuts and crumbled feta cheese (not necessarily all at once!).
BRAISED CHICKEN BREAST WITH BACON AND SWISS CHARD
4 chicken breasts, bone in
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped and cleaned, stems separate from the leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
3 strips bacon, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400. Heat a large skillet (one with a lid), over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Heat the oil and carefully add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Sear for 8 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Turn and sear for another 8 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking on the second side, clear a space and add the bacon, keeping it in one spot in the pan. When it is done, transfer it out of the pan with a slotted spoon. When the chicken is a golden brown on the second side, remove it from the pan.
Drain the pan of all the fat and return it to the heat. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds to a minute, being careful not to burn it. As soon as it's done, add the Swiss chard stems to the pan to stop the garlic from cooking further. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes and then add the rest of the Swiss chard and the bacon. Add vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir all together and return the chicken breasts to the pan. Cover and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until the chicken breasts are opaque throughout.
Serves four.
CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Place all of the cauliflower into the pot and cook for 2 minutes, or until the water boils again, whichever comes first. Pour into a strainer.
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk, cream, garlic, salt and nutmeg bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Place the cauliflower in a 9-by-13 casserole dish. Pour the milk and cream sauce over the cauliflower. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and combine it with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over top of the cauliflower and bake for 20 minutes or until the sides are bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Serves six to eight.
TWO-FOR-ONE: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD
If you find that you've leftovers from the above recipe, one way to use them is to create another satisfying meal by turning them into soup.
If you've got big eaters in your family and you are sure that the four chicken breasts in the recipe above will vanish, buy two extra and save them for the soup.
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onions, diced
4 cups chicken breast meat, diced
1 cup cooked Swiss chard, or 3 cups uncooked
9 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta like orzo
GARNISH: Croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, or until they are soft and translucent. If you need to cook the Swiss chard, do that here. Then add the chicken meat, Swiss chard, stock and the black pepper.
Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for the required amount of time on the pasta box and serve. Garnish with croutons or Parmesan cheese.