May All Your Meals Be Comforting

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!