Showing posts with label Delicious Mains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delicious Mains. Show all posts
With the advent of summer comes much warmer weather and hotter temperatures. We don't always want to chain ourselves to the stove cooking heavy meals. We desire things which are quicker and easier to make and much lighter to eat.
That is the way it is for me anyways. I don't want to be heating up my kitchen if I can help it and I want to spend more of my time outdoors doing things rather than chaining myself to a hot stove.
This is also the time of year that we begin to be able to enjoy fresh local produce. It is a bit early yet, but in the summer time we want to be taking advantage of all of the fresh local produce that we can.
Lettuce and greens, peas, beans, tomatoes, fruits and berries, corn, beetroot, carrots, etc. I like to enjoy as much of it as I can while it is available locally and in abundance!
I grill a lot in the summer months. I don't have an outdoor grill anymore but I have a very reliable indoor grill. Mine is a Cuisinart Griddler. It is quite ample for my purposes.
I had one of these in the UK that I used all the time. It has flat plates and grill plates and I bought the waffle plates for mine as well. I am prepared for anything and everything! It was one of the things I thought to replace when I went to set up my kitchen here in Canada.
I use the grill plates most of the time. They clean really easily, go in the dishwasher, and the machine itself does a wonderful job of grilling.
One of my favorite salads is the Caesar Salad. It is a popular salad that was invented in Tijuana Mexico in the 1920's by an Italian Chef, Caesar Cardini.
Generally speaking it is composed of fresh green romaine lettuce leaves, and a tangy garlicky dressing made from pounded anchovies, Dijon mustard, garlic, Worcestershire Sauce and Lemon juice. Rich and creamy.
It is most often served topped with crisp garlic croutons, crisp bacon, and shavings of Parmesan cheese.
One of my favorite versions is the Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, but it is really difficult to find a place that does a really nice one. I don't know why. How hard can it be?
Apparently it must be quite difficult for many places because I have always had a hard time finding on that I really enjoy. The ones I enjoy the most are the ones I make myself.
Anyways, today's recipe is for a delicious hot sandwich based on the idea of a Grilled chicken Caesar Salad, with a toasted artisanal garlic bread base, topped with a Caesar dressing, crisp streaky bacon, grilled Caesar marinated chicken breast cutlets, Caesar dressed sweet romaine lettuce, crisp croutons (optional) and shavings of good Parmesan cheese over top.
A wedge of lemon on the side to drizzle really enhances the tastiness of this fabulous open-faced, fork & knife, sandwich.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SANDWICH
Very simple ingredients actually. But you know me. I love simple things best of all! Because everything is so simple you will want to use the best of each ingredient that you can afford.
For the Caesar Chicken and Marinade:
- 1/4 cup your favorite brand of creamy Caesar Salad dressing
- 1 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally into cutlets
For the sandwich:
- 2 (1/2 inch thick) slices of a good artisanal sour dough bread cut on the diagonal
- 4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp
- softened butter
- 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
- 3 TBS your favorite creamy Caesar salad dressing divided
- shaved parmesan cheese
- crisp garlic croutons (optional)
- lemon wedges to serve
There are a multitude of very good quality Caesar salad dressings out there these days. You want a creamy one, not a vinaigrette. Of course you can make your own. You can find a really tasty and reliable recipe on this blog, Once Upon a Chef.
Romaine lettuce is the only lettuce to use for a Caesar. My mother would never eat anything but Iceberg Lettuce. You could not get her to even try anything else. If it wasn't iceberg she wasn't having it! That is the only lettuce we grew up with.
Imagine my joy at growing up and discovering the wealth of lettuce options that are available out there. One thing I really miss here in Canada is Baby Gem lettuces. It might be available in larger urban centers, but it is just not available here where I live. It makes a great substitute for Romaine or Cos lettuce.
This is the bread that I used for the base of my sandwiches. I cut it into 1/2 inch thick slices on the diagonal. It toasts really well and has a lovely flavor and a sturdy enough crumb to stand up to this sandwich!
I used PC Free From chicken breasts, that have not been fed antibiotics and also PC Free From streaky smoked bacon. In the UK I would use dry cured streaky smoked bacon. (Something else that I miss from the UK! It is bound to happen!)
Croutons are not really necessary due to the bread base, but I recognize that some people just like to have crispy croutons on top of their salad! If that is you, I say go for it!!
HOW TO MAKE A GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SANDWICH (FOR TWO)
This is really simple and other than the marinating time for the chicken goes together very quickly. Especially if you have all of the elements assembled and ready to go!
In a container large enough to hold the chicken, whisk together the Caesar salad dressing, olive oil, Dijon mustard and minced garlic for the chicken marinade. Add the chicken breast cutlets, turning to coat them completely in the marinade. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
When you are ready to cook the sandwiches, slice your bread diagonally into 2 1/2 inch thick slabs. Put your lettuce into a bowl. Cook your bacon and keep warm.
Remove your chicken from the marinade, discarding any marinade left in the dish. Cook your chicken cutlets on a hot grill for about two minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Keep warm.
Toast your bread slices, lightly buttering them if desired. (I used a garlic loaf. Alternately you can rub the toasted sides with a clove of garlic to infuse flavor.) Place on two serving plates. Divide 1 TBS of the Caesar salad dressing between the two slices and spread it over top of the bread.
Top each slice of bread with two slices of crisp bacon. Place two chicken cutlets on top of the bacon on each sandwich.
Toss your lettuce with the remaining salad dressing and pile lightly on top of the chicken cutlets. Shave some Parmesan over top and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.
This was a beautiful combination of savory, tangy, salty, crispy, garlicky, deliciousness. I found it to be very filling. The toasted bread did absorb some of the juices from the bacon and the grilled chicken but not overly so. When eaten soon after assembling, it was still quite crisp.
The chicken was moist and tender and had beautiful flavor and well, bacon . . . who doesn't like bacon! The dressed lettuce worked beautifully on top! Don't forget the Parmesan shavings and the lemon for squeezing!
I really quite enjoyed this! It made the perfect light supper!
Some other knife and fork sandwiches in The English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN MELT - Chunky cooked chicken mixed with some mayo, taco seasoning, lime juice, green tabasco, plenty of jack cheese and spring onions. Piled onto some toasted bread and grilled until everything melts into hot and spicy melty deliciousness!
HOT YORKSHIRE PUDDING SANDWICHES - Hot roast beef sandwiched together between two crispy Yorkshire puddings, with gravy ladled inside and over top. Served with chips and veg, this is a delicious dinner that everyone will love, Love, LOVE!
Grilled Chicken Caesar Sandwich
Yield: 2
Prep time: 6 HourCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 6 H & 20 M
All the best things you like about a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad in the shape of a delicious open face sandwich! You will need to marinate the chicken for several hours prior to cooking so bear that in mind when planning!
Ingredients
For the Caesar Chicken and Marinade:
- 1/4 cup your favorite brand of creamy Caesar Salad dressing
- 1 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally into cutlets
For the sandwich:
- 2 (1/2 inch thick) slices of a good artisanal sour dough bread cut on the diagonal
- 4 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until crisp
- softened butter
- 2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce
- 3 TBS your favorite creamy Caesar salad dressing divided
- shaved parmesan cheese
- crisp garlic croutons (optional)
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- In a container large enough to hold the chicken, whisk together the Caesar salad dressing, olive oil, Dijon mustard and minced garlic for the chicken marinade. Add the chicken breast cutlets, turning to coat them completely in the marinade. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
- When you are ready to cook the sandwiches, slice your bread diagonally into 2 1/2 inch thick slabs. Put your lettuce into a bowl. Cook your bacon and keep warm.
- Remove your chicken from the marinade, discarding any marinade left in the dish. Cook your chicken cutlets on a hot grill for about two minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Keep warm.
- Toast your bread slices, lightly buttering them if desired. (I used a garlic loaf. Alternately you can rub the toasted sides with a clove of garlic to infuse flavor.) Place on two serving plates. Divide 1 TBS of the Caesar salad dressing between the two slices and spread it over top of the bread.
- Top each slice of bread with two slices of crisp bacon. Place two chicken cutlets on top of the bacon on each sandwich.
- Toss your lettuce with the remaining salad dressing and pile lightly on top of the chicken cutlets. Shave some Parmesan over top and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.
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You may not know this about me, but I lived in Europe for the first four years of my life. I was born on Prince Edward Island but my father, who was in the Canadian Forces, was posted to Germany shortly thereafter.
My mother and I made our way over to Germany arriving late on Christmas eve of the year 1955. My mother was tired and exhausted. Our luggage had been lost, and my mother had nothing to change me into, not even a clean diaper.
My father had rented rooms for us to live in over top of a German Gasthof. This was not long after the war. People were still recovering in Germany. The kind woman who ran the Gasthof saw how very tired my mother was and took me under her arm, fashioning me a diaper from a torn sheet. She made sure I was fed and clean and took from their own dinner to feed my mother and father.
My mother never forgot the kindness of the German people to her, a young woman travelling outside her home country for the very first time in a strange land where she did not even know the language or customs. She always spoke very fondly of them and of the food. She especially loved Schnitzel!
I had Schnitzel in the Austrian Tyrol a number of years back when we were travelling there. It came to our table piping hot and delicious, the piece of schnitzel so large that it was hanging off the sides of my plate. A huge plate of chips accompanied it.
I did not think I was every going to be able to make my way through it, but I did. It was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. The pork was tender and juicy, the coating crisp and full of flavor. And don't get me started on the chips!
This schnitzel recipe I am sharing today is not quite the size of that schnitzel, but it is every bit as filled with flavor. I borrowed the recipe from a page called You Wash I Dry. It looked very simple and uncomplicated. I don't think delicious food needs to be complicated.
I downsized it to make only two servings and it turned out beautiful. It was smaller than the one I had eaten in Austria, but every bit as delicious!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PORK SCHNITZEL
This is very simple and uncomplicated. The idea of using Nutmeg in the breading had never occurred to me before. It was a delicious addition!
- Light olive oil for frying
- 2 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick, trimmed of any fat
- 3 TBS all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (NOT salt)
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 large free range egg
- a splash of milk
- 1/2 cup (60g) fine dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- lemon wedges to serve
Full disclosure here, I used pork cutlets that had been tenderized at the store. They were boneless skinless porkchops that had been put through a tenderizing machine in much the same way as they make cube steak.
I still had to trim off the fat however. This is important for several reasons. One, you don't want to be eating fat and two, the fat if not removed with cause the chops to curl up when cooking.
Use a good quality brand of bread crumbs. Or homemade dry bread crumbs. Don't use the ones which have been already seasoned with herbs or cheese. You will be adding your own seasoning to them.
My late mother in law always used to dry the heels of her homemade bread and stale slices to make her own bread crumbs. I don't think she ever bought bread crumbs in her life. There is no need to.
With the advent of food processors, this is a much easier process than having to grind them by hand. Just leave your bread out lightly covered with a tea towel or paper towel until it gets really dry and then pulverize them in the food processor!
Because they are made with really dry bread, there is no moisture to create any mold. These homemade bread crumbs will keep almost indefinitely in a tightly covered container.
HOW TO MAKE EASY PORK SCHNITZEL
If you have everything set up ahead of time in a "breading station" this will go very quickly and easily! No fuss, no muss.
Trim any fat off your pork chops and place them, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap or into a plastic baggie. Using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, pound the pork chops until they are about 1/4 inch thick.
Place the flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper into a shallow bowl. Mix well together.
Next to that place the egg into another shallow bowl. Beat it together with a splash of milk.
Next to that place the bread crumbs and nutmeg in a third shallow bowl. Again, mix well together.
Working with one pork cutlet at a time, dip first in the flour, coating it well on all sides and shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the egg, again flipping it over to coat completely. Finally dip it into the breadcrumbs, coating completely on both sides. Repeat with the other chop, placing them onto a plate.
Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a 10" heavy bottomed skillet until hot over medium high heat. Add the chops and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. (Meat thermometer should register 140*F/60*C).
Sprinkle with a bit of salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.
This pork dish goes very well with a side salad and some potatoes or noodles, or chips. In Europe they will often serve it with some gravy and Spätzle.
If you are not fond of pork, you can use chicken or even turkey cutlets in its place.
Because I am trying not to eat too many carbs ( I know, it seems unbelievable) I had this with only a side salad and really enjoyed it. Don't forget the lemon. It really does add a tasty touch! I froze the second one (well wrapped and labeled) to enjoy another time!
I don't eat red meat very often. They do call pork the other white meat, but to me it is always going to be a rare treat. As such I like to treat it special. Here are some other really delicious pork recipes that you might enjoy:
PORK STEAK WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY - Tender and juicy pieces of pork, flash fried and then served with a lush and flavor filled fresh mushroom gravy. Quite simply delicious!
SHEET PAN PORK CHOP & STUFFING DINNER - Pork chops go very well with bread stuffing. This delicious meal combines the two along with some tasty side vegetables, all cooked together on one sheet pan. No fuss. No muss. Delicious. And, if you line the sheet pan with aluminum foil, not a lot to clean up!
Easy Pork Schnitzel
Yield: 2
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Tender and juicy breaded pork cutlets. These go together quickly and easily making for a lovely, stress-free weeknight dinner! All you need is some potatoes or rice on the side and a salad or a vegetable. Lemon wedges for squeezing are a must!
Ingredients
- Light olive oil for frying
- 2 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick, trimmed of any fat
- 3 TBS all purpose plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (NOT salt)
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 large free range egg
- a splash of milk
- 1/2 cup (60g) fine dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Trim any fat off your pork chops and place them, one at a time, between two sheets of plastic wrap or into a plastic baggie. Using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, pound the pork chops until they are about 1/4 inch thick.
- Place the flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper into a shallow bowl. Mix well together.
- Next to that place the egg into another shallow bowl. Beat it together with a splash of milk.
- Next to that place the bread crumbs and nutmeg in a third shallow bowl. Again, mix well together.
- Working with one pork cutlet at a time, dip first in the flour, coating it well on all sides and shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the egg, again flipping it over to coat completely. Finally dip it into the breadcrumbs, coating completely on both sides. Repeat with the other chop, placing them onto a plate.
- Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a 10" heavy bottomed skillet until hot over medium high heat. Add the chops and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. (Meat thermometer should register 140*F/60*C).
- Sprinkle with a bit of salt and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.
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I have shared this recipe in the past. I have updated it and downsized it now for just two people. If you are wanting the original recipe, which feeds four, you can check it out here.
I adapted the original recipe from one I found in a cookery book by Cook's Country, entitled One Pan Wonders. I have always loved their recipes. They are always delicious and pretty fail proof. If something doesn't work, then its down to the cook's error, not the recipe.
After I had to leave all my cookbooks back in the UK, this was one that I decided was worth replacing. It is full of sound, delicious and simple one pan suppers. You can't go wrong!
I love one pan meals, meals that are engineered to get me in and out of the kitchen quickly and that don't create a lot of mess. Especially in the summer months. I would rather spend my time in the summer doing other things if I can!
This dish is quite a simple one, composed of tender moist, well flavored chicken breasts, lightly browned, then nestled into a combination of rice, stock, carrots, onions and garlic until perfectly cooked, the rice having absorbed all of those tasty flavors.
Frozen peas are stirred in at the end and left to heat through. The chicken is sliced on the diagonal and placed back on the rice to serve.
A squeeze of lemon and a scattering of parsley on top and dinner is served! This really is a winner/winner chicken dinner!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CLASSIC CHICKEN & RICE FOR TWO
There is nothing artificial here. Just simple classic and fresh ingredients. Tasty ingredients you probably have in your kitchen already! I love meals like this!
Chicken used to be a fairly inexpensive protein to use. Its a lot more expensive these days, but still one of the cheaper options. Make sure you use the best chicken that you can afford to buy. It really does matter when it comes down to taste.
I use President's Choice Free-From chicken breasts. They are raised without antibiotics and have a much better flavor (in my opinion) than regular chicken breasts.
I really miss the free range chicken I was able to buy at the local Market in Chester. It was always very reasonably priced and had an exceptional flavor.
Today I used Uncle Ben's Converted Long Grain Rice. I also used a chicken stock concentrate that I reconstituted with water.
I always use less water than is recommended on the carton. I want my stock to have a stronger depth of chicken flavor. If I had the space I would use homemade stock. I just don't have the space to store it.
I use frozen organic peas that I get in the organic section of the grocery store. They are very small petit pois and have a lovely flavor. I really dislike overly large, woody-textured peas.
This is a really easy dish to make. All in one, you can't complain. It really is no fuss, no muss. The tastes belie the simplicity of this dish. It really is delicious!
Heat the oil in a large skillet which has a lid. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet, presentation side down, and brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the onion and 1/4 tsp of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently in the drippings, until softened, without coloring.
Add the rice and garlic. Cook and stir for about a minute until quite fragrant.
Add the carrots and stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the rice, leaving the top of the chicken exposed. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.
Cook, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken tests done and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside, keeping it warm.
Stir though the rice to recombine, then cover and cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the peas. Cover and let stand for a few minutes to thaw and heat through the peas. Fork through the lemon juice and parsley.
Slice the chicken breasts through on the diagonal and return to the top of the rice in a decorative fashion. Sprinkle with paprika and more parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
This really is a simple and deliciously wholesome meal! Its relatively low in fat, high in fiber and very simple to make. Not only that, its nice and colorful as well. All you need in addition is perhaps a salad on the side!
Any leftovers re-heat very easily. I just add a bit of butter to the pan, add the leftovers and cook, stirring frequently, over a medium heat, until heated through completely.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Just pack into an airtight freezer container or zip lock baggie and freeze, labeling it correctly with the contents and date. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as above.
If you really love simple, one dish meals then you might also enjoy the following:
ONE PAN CHICKEN BROCCOLI ALFREDO PASTA - This chicken and broccoli pasta dish makes for a really quick weeknight supper that the whole family can and will enjoy. With plenty of tender pieces of chicken, penne pasta, crispy tender broccoli florets and a creamy white cheesy sauce that can be as high or as low fat as you like.
SHEET PAN SAUSAGE & PEPPERS - A lovely mix of sliced peppers, onions and smoked sausage, roasted on a sheet pan in a hot oven until the sausage is golden brown and the vegetables begin to caramelize. This is lovely served on a toasted bun or with a baked potato on the side.
Classic Chicken & Rice for Two
Yield: 2
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
This chicken dish is easy and delicious. Tender juicy chicken nestled in a flavor filled rice with peas and carrots. Perfectly sized for just two people.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all roughly the same size
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS light olive oil)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3/4 cup (165g) long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 fat clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 3/4 cups (415ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 cup (75g) frozen petit pois
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 TBS minced fresh parsley
- ground sweet paprika and more parsley to sprinkle (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet which has a lid. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet, presentation side down, and brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add the onion and 1/4 tsp of salt to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently in the drippings, until softened, without coloring.
- Add the rice and garlic. Cook and stir for about a minute until quite fragrant.
- Add the carrots and stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the rice, leaving the top of the chicken exposed. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken tests done and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside, keeping it warm.
- Stir though the rice to recombine, then cover and cook until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the peas. Cover and let stand for a few minutes to thaw and heat through the peas. Fork through the lemon juice and parsley.
- Slice the chicken breasts through on the diagonal and return to the top of the rice in a decorative fashion. Sprinkle with paprika and more parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
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Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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