Posts tagged capers

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Giada’s Piccata

0
1 year ago

So this chick seems to have it all. She’s a food network star, she’s wealthy (I heard her father is rich too), she’s gorgeous and she manages to eat pasta all day and not gain a pound. I put all of those negatives aside and decided to try out her Chicken Piccata recipe. :)

I don’t know if I violated some italian food rule, but I chose to serve it over my tri-color orzo. Orzo is pasta shaped like pearls of barley and it looks like rice. It was a welcomed surprise at our table but my only regret was not seasoning the pasta. (I didn’t even salt the water, lol) My rationale was that didn’t need it since the chicken piccata was going to top it and it in itself was so flavorful. So ummm yeah….at least salt the water. : )

My guests loved it but it could’ve been better in my opinion. Ok, that was the hate talking. lol It was good. Dig in!

Ingredients:

  • 2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • All-purpose flour, for dredging
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
  • 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.

Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

Salmon Cakes

Ina’s Salmon Cakes

0
2 years ago

The original recipe called for smoking my own salmon or something and that wasn’t happening…waaaay too many steps for breakfast when I KNOW the canned Salmon would work JUST fine- and it did.

These cakes get their moistness from the mayo, eggs, lemon juice, and simply not being overpowered by flour. The bread crumbs don’t fight the moistness like flour. You may want to add a little more. My cakes were very fragile but we like the flavors of the capers (kinda vinegary…yeah I said “vinegary” lol) lemon with the fish and veggies without too much “cake”. To each his own but more play with the recipe, they can pull of a lot of flavor….like someone else you know hunh? ; ) (ME! )

Ingredients

  • unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • 1 cup small-diced red onion (1 med. onion)
  • 1 1/2 cups small-diced celery (4 stalks)
  • 1 cup small-diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1 cup small-diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 1 can smoked salmon
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs (or panko, Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s Light…don’t tell Greg) 
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Place 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of oil, the onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, and peppers in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Empty salmon into a bowl by itself standing in the shape retained from the can. Gently separate the fish from the sides to expose the full spine of the fish. Try to remove it whole. If you are unsuccessful, no biggie, take your (of course well cleaned) hands and pick through it for any wayward pieces of bone. Add the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and eggs and toss lightly.

Add the cooled cooked veggies and mix well. (Whenever you’re working with raw eggs, you want to be sure to not scramble the eggs by adding them to anything hot) Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into salmon cakes, 2 1/2 to 3 ounces each.

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the salmon cakes and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a 250 degree F oven and serve hot.

*Salmon cakes can be shaped and stored overnight in the fridge on baking sheets wrapped in plastic; fry just before serving.

RECIPE REGRETS: Not having some sort of dipping sauce or a mango salsa to accompany this dish. I tried, unsuccessfully to mix a little mayo, ketchup and lemon juice. It was edible but not the sauce I was going for.  

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