Chicken Marsala

Spent the weekend around Princeton University and although my 3 sons didn't go there, I couldn't help to wish that one of my grandchildren would attend one day.  My father used to say to me, "Babe, dreams are for free so you might as well dream big."

Here is a recipe that is great for tailgate parties because it's a real crowd pleaser and you can make it in advance.  My mother cut boneless chicken cutlets into 2" pieces instead of pounded cutlets.  This way works well for a crowd.  She served it at my little brother's UCLA tailgate parties.  Only the Sillletti's would have Chicken Marsala for a college tailgate party!

Serves 6

6 chicken filets* (have butcher pound thin – or do my mother's  version and cut into 2" pieces)

Salt and pepper (use sea salt - it’s the best and white pepper if you have it)

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons flour, more if necessary

8 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

3/4 cup Marsala wine (dry - you can use sweet if that’s all you have)

1 cup veal (or chicken) demi-glace (available in specialty stores or your butcher may carry it)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temp)

1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Season chicken scallops on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil and olive oil.

Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.  I shake in a zip lock bag.

Add chicken to pan and sauté for about 1-2 minutes each side.

Take pieces out and continue with others - keep scallops warm on a plate.

Add mushrooms to pan and sauté until soft.

Place chicken back in pan on top of the mushrooms.

Add Marsala wine and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add demi-glace and shake pan to thicken sauce.

Add butter and shake pan again to emulsify sauce.

Scatter parsley over for garnish

*Could substitute veal filets for chicken but be careful to not overcook the veal.

Fresh Vegetables with Honey Vinaigrette

Mother's Day now has taken on a deeper meaning for me.  With my sons off to college and my mother passing away, I get very philosophical on Mother's Day.  I found myself rereading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.  I like to read it every so often to get a perspective on what's important in life.  Now that it is finally spring I thought I'd add this recipe I learned in Florence.   While I'm cooking I always choose music that relates to my mood and what I'm working with.  Today while making this dish I listened to John Mellencamp sing "Save Some Time To Dream".   I hope you enjoy this recipe.

What is so wonderful about this healthy vegetable dish is that it can be served warm or room temperature.

Experiment - if you have broccoli or cauliflower in your home add those as well.

Serves 8

3-5 potatoes, peeled and cup in 1/4

3-5 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

8-10 asparagus, discard bottom part and cut in 2” pieces

10 green beans, cut off ends and cut in 2” pieces

1 green onion, cut in 2” pieces

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey - the thick kind

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Boil water with some salt in it and throw in vegetables:

            Potatoes and carrots for 10 minutes

            Add asparagus for 5 minutes

            Add green beans for last 3 minutes

Strain vegetables until completely dry.

In a blender mix the spring or green onion with parsley, soy sauce, honey, oil, vinegar.

Blend until creamy - add salt only if needed.

Toss vegetables with this wonderful green dressing.

Low Country Seafood Chowder

I visited New Orleans for the first time this weekend.  What a sensual city, between hearing great jazz musicians, tasting delicious fattening food, and watching the degenerates like myself stumbling down Bourbon Street, man I had a good time!

This is one of the soups that they serve at Augusta with corn bread on the side - it’s so incredible.  I served this for a dinner party one night and I think I added too much sherry.  Between the sherry in the soup, the amazing wine we served, and cognac afterwards, we had the most hysterical game of Scattergories into the wee hours…

Serves 16-20

3 slices of smoked bacon diced

1 1/2 cups onions diced

4 stalks of celery diced

1 1/2 lb. fish fillets boneless and skinless (grouper or cod) cut in 2” pieces

1 lb. sea scallops (if large cut in 1/2 or quarters)

1 lb. shrimp peeled, deveined, tail off

1/2 lb. crawfish meat (or crab meat) (if you can’t find - leave out)

1/2 cup sherry (pale dry)

1 1/2 cups potatoes, Idaho, peeled and diced

1/2 quart fish stock (use chicken if fish is unavailable)

1 quart heavy cream

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon thyme (fresh)

2 tablespoons dill (fresh)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Cornstarch/water (as needed to thicken)

Sauté bacon in a heavy soup pot until very crisp but do not burn.

Add the onions and celery and sauté 5-8 minutes until onions begin to caramelize.

Add the fish fillets, scallops, and shrimp and cook until they just begin to turn opaque.

Add the sherry and ignite to burn off the alcohol residue.

Remove seafood with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add the potatoes, fish stock, heavy cream, and bay leaf.

Bring soup rapidly to a boil then reduce to a simmer until potatoes are cooked (about 15 minutes).

Add crawfish (or crab meat) and the reserved seafood to the cream mixture and simmer until fish is cooked through and begins to flake apart.

Add fresh thyme, fresh dill and cayenne pepper.

Adjust seasoning to taste and thicken with a mixture of cornstarch and water.