Cooking adventures with The Newlywed Kitchen
Mr. Bello is a very accomplished home cook. We enjoy going out in Seattle, and discovering, cherishing and devouring some of the best food in the Pacific Northwest. Still, we love cooking together at home. The kitchen has been a good field for our team of two. We share responsibilities, and I chop the onions for him. He smiles when I try what he cooks, and sigh with pleasure when I clap. A good portion of Ryan's happiness is directly related with how my taste buds frolic with his creations, and enjoy his food. He has a family-made recipe book from where he has made me some of my favorite homemade dishes (Arrabiata, anyone?)
A bowl of Ryan's Arrabiata Sauce on penne pasta will brighten your soul. Sometimes, it's like a quick, palatable trip outside Seattle. It makes the world a better place to me.
So when we got our copy of The Newlywed Kitchen, Mr. Bello quickly grabbed it, and spent a good amount of time looking through the pages. We discussed the recipes, and of course, I told him he must make Lorna Yee's award-winning Macaroni and Cheese (which I'll make sure happens, calories et al).
It's a beautiful book. I have been lucky to try some of the recipes Lorna chose for the book already, and they turn into comforting, succulent food. Many of them feature interesting twists on classic dishes. These recipes are easy to make, but they have a subtle level of sophistication that will make your dining experience at home a different one.
Sunday night we were fighting with the classic laziness that comes along with "the weekend is almost over." I was tempted to go for take away until Ryan said "let's cook something from the Newlywed Kitchen". I said "yes" right away. And the Mister asked me to stay put while he ran to the store, got the ingredients for the Chicken Piccata with Mushroom and Leeks. Then, the only thing I was allowed to was chopping mushrooms and leeks. And of course, taking photos.
The Mister got great chicken breasts at our butcher's store. The tenderness of it, combined with this dish's sauce was fantastic. I fell in love with it: when I get adventurous, I might make this sauce to try with other meats--or even a risotto.
Mr. Bello followed the recipe to the T (sans capers), and got us a wonderful and warm dinner. We used a Risotto con Funghi from Il Fornaio as a side dish. It couldn't be better. The texture of the risotto, and it's soft flavor made it up for a perfect balance with the tanginess of the chicken sauce.
I can't think about anything better for a Sunday night dinner.
Chicken Piccata with Mushroom and Leeks (From The Newlywed Kitchen - recipe by Lorna Yee)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 pound total) butterflied.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Ryan butterflied the chicken breasts and pounded them until they were about 1/4 inch thick. A bit of salt here, a pinch of pepper there, he seasoned them and left them rest for about 10 minutes. He asked me if we could pass on the capers (I love them) he's not a fan of too-salty ingredients. OK, Mister. No problem!
Then he gathered the flour and Parmesan cheese together, and "clothed" the chicken pieces with the mixture. Make sure to not over do it. If there's too much, shake it off.
We own a couple of iron-cast skillets, perhaps our favorite pieces to cook with (or in) the kitchen. Ryan melted 2 of the 3 tablespoons of butter in it, and then added the oil. He cooked the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, until checking that the inside of the chicken was cooked and juicy, and once ready, he removed it.
The leeks and mushrooms should be cooked apart, and right after the chicken is done. Ryan sauteed them for about 5 minutes on the iron-cast skillet, and then added lemon juice, garlic, chicken stock, parsley and a dry, inexpensive wine he has used for cooking before. As Lorna recommends to simmer the sauce for better flavor, he let it to reduce. Then, he added the rest of the butter and voilá!
After that, all we could say was ¡buen provecho y qué delicioso!
