We began the year with an
apple Dutch baby for our first meal. A rainy day gave us all the excuse we
needed to break out a heaping bowl of pea soup with some crusty bread.
We began the year with
comfort food.
New Year’s Day is a quiet
day for us, and for me, the truly important day is the second because it is Mom’s
birthday.
For her brunch, I made her
a plain omelet with scallions and fresh cracked pepper, topped with sour cream and
roe, and toasted onion rolls with a schmear of butter.
For dinner, I made a
simple, savory chicken dish. We have a green bean salad in a mustard sauce in
the fridge that will last us a few more weeks.
Mom’s Birthday Chicken
Skinless chicken breasts (3-5 lbs.)
Seasoned Flour
¾ cup flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon powdered chicken bullion
Pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
1 tablespoon capers (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (sliced one along its longer side and
then lie flat and slice into matchsticks; cut other two cloves in half and
reserve)
Feta (crumble about ½ cup or more, to taste)
¼ cup chicken broth (with a dash of lemon juice)
The chicken was clean, so
all I had to do was to cut the breasts in half. I started heating my cast iron
pan, medium high heat, as I put together the seasoned flour. It is important to
have a hot pan when you get ready to start cooking (and I used vegetable oil to
coat the bottom of the pan). The moment the oil starts shimmering, I place the
chicken in a sealable bag and shake it to flour. Then I place about half the chicken
in the pan. I like to sear in ample space.
As the chicken cooks, I chop
the toppings and put them aside. I leave the chicken between 3-5 minutes on
each side depending on size (you will see the meat turn an opaque white as it
cooks and the flour will turn into a golden crust).
After searing both batches,
I place all the chicken in the pan. I place tomatoes and capers in the empty
spaces between the chicken as well as the garlic halves. The slivers of garlic
go over the chicken and the feta over it. Finally, add broth and cover. Lower
heat to medium low and let it cook in the liquid and steam in its own juices
for about 10 minutes.
The garlic will literally melt into the chicken. The Feta does not completely melt, so there will be specs of it, with its accompanying tart saltiness. You can add fresh cracked
pepper as you serve, or add a dash of fresh lemon juice to the pan sauce. Use
the back of a spoon to crush the garlic halves—it will taste like roasted garlic without the effort and thicken the sauce.
Add the waves ambient sound and pretend you're the exclusive clients on some cliffside bistro...
If you are cutting back on
salt intake, the capers and feta will have some, so you can use water and lemon
juice for the chicken stock. You may skip the powdered stock to season the
flour, simply add more herbs, garlic and pepper to season. You can also use a couple
tablespoons of grated Parmesan in the flour (it adds a little salt and a
slightly nutty taste).
Serve with a side of
couscous, egg noodles, steamed rice, or smashed potatoes.
Save some of the liquid (a
couple of tablespoons), some tomato and capers along with a couple of pieces of
chicken. Use the liquid and veggies to season mayo for sandwiches. You can also
slice the chicken and toss into a macaroni salad for a brown bagged lunch.
Finally, instead of cake,
we shared a pack of Trader Joe’s French macarons (which we recommend if you do
not have a French bakery nearby). Crispy and delicious, and distinctly flavorful. There's a great review here.
Here’s wishing you a year
full of great meals!