PTI: Recipe Time!

I'll return to the regularly-scheduled program of detailing my foodie frolics across Dublin for March after sharing with you my most recent cooking success!

I was hosting a Saturday dinner last night and when deciding what to cook, I went in with the notion of culling good ingredients and formulating the meal. I kind of winged-it but apparently I pulled it off! The ingredients? Boneless, skinless chicken tenders (chicken breasts could also be used), fresh mozzarella, Bresaola. Orecchiette, pine nuts, red onion, baby bella mushrooms, baby spinach, cream.

"Stuffed Chicken with Mozz Wrapped in Bresaola" and "Orrecchiette a la Lauren"

The result? I suppose we'll go with "Stuffed Chicken with Mozz Wrapped in Bresaola" and "Orrecchiette a la Lauren". Try it yourself and let me know you you get on!

Stuffed Chicken with Mozz Wrapped in Bresaola
Serves 4
8 Boneless skinless chicken tenders (or 4 breasts)
8 Thin slices of Bresaola
4 Slices part skim mozzarella (sliced approx 1/4inch thick)
Pinch dried basil
Olive oil
Tin foil

Chicken stacks oh-so-tenderly wrapped in bodacious Bresaola

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Cut 4 rectangles of tin foil, with dimensions to wrap the tenders individually (4x11 approximately). On each rectangle, stack a tender, a slice of mozzarella, and tender. If using breasts, simply make a slit length-wise and stuff the mozzarella in the opening.

Wrap each stack with 2 slices of Bresaola so that the chicken is covered as much as possible. Drizzle a little olive oil over each stack and sprinkle with the dried basil. Wrap the tin foil around the stacks into a parcel and lay each parcel on a baking tray.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, test one of the chickens at 25minutes to make sure it's cooked the whole way through.

Orrecchiette a la Lauren
Serves 4 (obvi!)
2 Cups orrecchiette pasta
1/3 Cup pine nuts
1 Tbsp olive oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wilting that spinach

1 Red onion, chopped relatively fine1 Cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 Cups baby spinach
1/3 Cup heavy cream
1 Tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 Cup shaved Parmesean

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta and cut the heat to medium. Add a drop of olive oil to decrease the orrecchiette from sticking together.

Time for the heavy stuff

In a separate large, deep frying pan, toast the pine nuts slightly. Add the onion and mushrooms, and sautee with the tbsp olive oil. Once the onion and mushrooms have softened, add the spinach to wilt and the garlic to flavor.

Drizzle in the cream and make sure all ingredients meld. Season with salt and pepper. Bring heat down to low.
Check on the pasta; Orrecchiette usually takes around 12-15 minutes until al dente so test it. Once sorted, drain the pasta and add back to the pot. Mix in the spinach mixture and add the Parmesean.

Plate up with the Bresaola Chicken and dig in!!

I also served with some fresh lemon/lime/cucumber water - class all the way!