Recipe: Chicken Parmesan

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

Simple Tomato Sauce with Basil and and Garlic:

• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or put through garlic press
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Chicken Parmesan:

• 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon water
• 6 thin, boneless chicken breast cutlets (4 ounces each)
• Simple Tomato Sauce, warmed
• 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

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PREPARATION

Tomato Sauce:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat garlic and oil together over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Stir in tomatoes, basil, oregano, sugar, a pinch of salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper; bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sauce thicken a bit and flavors meld, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste sauce, adjusting salt if necessary. Cover and keep warm.

Chicken Parmesan:
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Combine the breadcrumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon slat, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, place a wire rack on top, and spray the rack with vegetable oil spray. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg whites, and finally coat with the breadcrumbs. Press on the breadcrumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the chicken on the wire rack.

Spray the tops of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the meat is no longer pink in the center and feels firm when pressed with a finger, 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the sauce onto the center of each cutlet and top the sauce with 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and extra Parmesan separately.

Serve with spaghetti or linguine.

ENJOY!

Chicken Parmesan

Also known as Parmesan Chicken, this I heard this dish is not originally from Italy. It's Italian-American. Right now I'm trying to make the basic Italian pasta dishes and this one is of the basics.

After my second attempt at this dish, I think I finally got the recipe right. This recipe is more time consuming than others I've seen, but it is well worth the time. Baking the chicken instead of frying it makes it more moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside. So delicious!

Recipe: Sopa Azteca

Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large dried pasilla (or ancho) chile, stemmed and seeded
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 large epazote sprig, if you have one
• 1 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) roughly broken tortilla chips
• 1/2 cups Mexican crema, sour cream for garnish

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PREPARATION

Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. Break the chile into pieces and put in a blender jar along with the tomatoes with their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won't completely puree the chile.)

Heat the oil in a medium (4-quart) saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible, and transfer to blender. Process until smooth.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly, until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 mintues. Taste and season with salt, usually about a generous teaspoon (depending on the saltiness of the broth).

Just before serving, add the chicken to the simmering broth. Divide the avocado, cheese and tortilla chips between serving bowls. When the chicken is done, usually about 5 minutes, ladle the soup into the bowls. Garnish with sour cream. Pass the lime separately.

ENJOY!

Sopa Azteca

I've been trying to focus my attention recently on Mexican food. Along with Italian, it's my favorite cuisine to cook and eat. And since I know how Mexican food should taste like, I think I have an advantage over other people. So...this recipe for Sopa Azteca, or Aztec Soup, comes from Rick Bayless, the authority on Mexican cooking in the U.S.
I used to think: "What does this white guy know about Mexican cooking?" But, after making a couple of his recipes, I can say he knows what he's talking about! So here's the recipe for you to make. You will enjoy this flavorful and simple to prepare dish.