Menu for Food Prep II Practical

Menu for Food Prep II Practical

December 7, 2011

Harrison J. Graden Sr.

Lemony Chicken

Steamed Green Beans

Whipped Potatoes

Recipe that I used as a base for my Chicken:

Chicken Piccata

(Borrowed from Domestic Goddess Blogspot)

Serves 4

4 chicken breast, tenderized (if you don’t have your meat mallet yet, go get one NOW!)

¼ cup of white flour

½ tsp of salt

Spices of your choice (I used a pinch of coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

½ cup dry sherry (use dry white wine and a ½ a Tbsp of sugar if you don’t have any)

2 lemons (one for juicing and one for garnish)

Zest of ¼ lemon

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp of capers

1 tsp of whole grain mustard (optional)

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 Tbsp Italian parsley, finely chopped

If you don’t have a meat mallet/tenderizer bash you chicken breasts flat some other way – rolling pin, clean hammer, my cousin used her hand blender end once and said it worked, but let it be the last time... got get one! Mix up the flour, salt and spices. Heat half the oil in a large pan to medium high heat. Dredge your chicken breasts through the flour and fry them until browning on each side (2min per side max). Add the extra oil as you need it. Set aside the chicken.

If there is any burned flour in your pan, wash it out, if not add the butter to the same pan and once it has mealted add the onions and garlic and fry for a few minutes until they turn glassy. Then add the stock, wine, lemon juice from one lemon, the zest, capers, mustard, and sugar. Allow this to simmer and reduce by about a 1/3. Then add the chicken breasts and the parsley to the sauce and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

If making this ahead of time. Leave the chicken and sauce separate until ready for use. Then heat the sauce, add the chicken and parsley, and simmer until the chicken is heated through.

Add lemon slices and extra capers as garnish. 

http://domesticgoddesses-sa.blogspot.com/2011/03/lemony-chicken.html

My results:

High B or Low A, depending on how he weights the grades with the whole class.  Chef said my sauce was near perfect and well balanced, while I felt it was too tart. Since I do not drink anymore, I felt the alcohol was not completely cooked out. When I split my chicken breast, I misjudged my sizes and portions between the two plates were off. Green Beans were cooked perfectly but under seasoned, Potatoes were good as well, just had gotten cold.  I agreed on the Beans and potato assessment. 

White Chilli

This is from my mother's family cookbook... Enjoy!

WHITE CHILLI

1 # navy beans or 2 jar of prepared beans – drained and rinsed
Cook 3 cups cut up chicken breast in water – save broth (will need 6 cups of broth later)
Cook 1 Tbl olive oil, 2 onions, 2-3 garlic cloves, 1 ½ oregano pepper, 1 tsp. Cumin, dash of Tabasco sauce and 2 4 oz. of chopped chili peppers 1-2 cans chicken broth (approx. 40 oz)

Put in slow cooker. 1-2 hours. Optional – add 1 ½-2 cups braided Monterey jack cheese till melted. This can be added when serving and can be left out.

Note: You could use prepared Roasted Chicken with bones removed. I use the bones and what I have left after deboning along with other vegetables such as Carrots, Corn Cobs, Onions, Celery, etc when making broth.

Italian Seasoned Cheesy Hashbrowns with Proscuito

So my friend came back from a trip and said how she loved this dish that the chef at a place she visited fixed. I promised her that I would make it for her. Here is my version of what she told me that he made for her party.






Cheesy Garlic Hashbrowns & Prosciutto

Bag of Frozen Hashbowns
Cracked Black Pepper (to taste)
Riley's Seasoning Salt (to taste)
Granulated Garlic (to taste)
Italian Seasoning Blend (fresh ground)(to taste)
4 TB Olive Oil (reserve half)
4 tsp Butter (half reserved)
1/2 Onion (chopped)
2 TB Fresh Minced Garlic
8 oz Prosciutto (diced)
2 C Italian Cheese Blend

Prepare Frozen Hashbrowns as directed on package by pre-heating a pan with olive oil then placing hashbrowns in a flat layer on bottom of pan. Season with Black Pepper, Seasoning Salt, Granulated Garlic, and Italian Seasoning Blend. Cook til browned on one side and turn.
Then, saute' Onion and Prosciutto in a small saute' pan with olive oil and reserved butter. Once onions are translucent and fragrant, add fresh minced garlic.
Second side of hashbrowns should be browned at this time. Spoon onion and prosciutto mixture on hashbrowns and cover generously with cheese blend.
Season to taste and put in oven set on warming setting to melt cheese and hold.
Remove from oven and plate with garlic cheese toast.
Serve and enjoy!



You can add mushrooms to the Onion and Prosciutto if you wish and before adding the cheese blend, top with warm pizza sauce, then top with cheese. Great as breakfast or a dinner entree!

Creamy Herb Chicken Soup

Creamy Herb Chicken Soup

2 TB Olive Oil
4 TB Butter

1/8 cup Roux
3-4 prepared Chicken Breast - chopped (Boiled, Grilled, or Baked)
2-3 slices Bacon (crumbled)
1 medium sized Onion (chopped) - could use Green Onion
1 TB Fresh Garlic (chopped) - I used 2 cloves
1 qt Whipping Cream (Heavy Cream)

1 qt Milk -Less to make thicker

1 can low sodium Chicken Broth
1/8 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
Pinch of Sea Salt
1/8 cup of Chives (reserve for garnish)

3 Sage Leaves
1/8 cup Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese (reserve 1/2 for Garnish)
Fresh Parsley (for Garnish) can use vivid green freeze dried

Using a heavy bottomed Stock Pot, melt butter and add Olive Oil, heat til oil is hot. Saute' onion, stirring frequently about 3-4 minutes until almost translucent. Add chicken and continue saute' another 2-3 minutes to heat through then add garlic. Make a roux by adding about an 3 TB flour to pan, then slowly add Cream or Milk and can of Chicken Broth. Add seasonings, bring to a low boil, if you bring it to a full boil you risk the chance of curdling the milk & creeam, reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in 1/2 of Parmesan Cheese and continue simmering for 10 minutes until thickened.

Serve in large bowls and garnish with Parmesan Cheese, Chives, and Parsley and a side of Garlic Cheese Bread.

Mexican Gumbo w/Chicken

Mexican Gumbo w/ Chicken

By: Kelli Venezia & Skip Graden

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat and diced (Grill Chicken for additional flavor, any other meats such as Steak, Chorizo, or season Ground Beef may be added or substituted)

3 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix (about 10 ounces) (1 pkg Southwest Blend of Fajita Veggies) or Grilled/Roast Fresh

1 tablespoon ground cumin (less if desired, 1 teaspoon for mild, 2 for medium)

2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably with green chiles
1 15-ounce can Black Beans drained

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice (prefer fresh Lime)

1 cup Instant Rice
1 cup V-8 Juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (add some just before boiling, reserve the rest for garnish)

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Sour Cream & Chips for garnish

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. (Unless you have previously Grilled the chicken and veggies) Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.

Add pepper-onion mix and cumin to the pot, still complete this step if previously grilled roasted the veggies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned, or if previously Grilled warmed through, about 4 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans, pepper and lime juice; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes more.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juice, add the rice & V-8 Juice, at this time to the pot and bring to a low boil then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in cilantro. Garnish with Chips, Cheese, Cilantro, & Sour Cream.

EDIT 9/20/15: As I read this over after completion of becoming Certified Culinarian (actual chef), I am seeing some changes that I would use that I think may elevate a great soup. I would add a small dice of carrots and celery to the peppers and onions. (snd if threre is time to fire roast them before sauteing that would be optimal.) I may also add some minced jalapeno, maybe 1/2 of one? Dependant of how much heat you desire??? Lastly instead of rice, Quinoa could be used.  It adds to the protien punch as Quinoa has 8 of the 9 essential amino acids needed to consider it a perfect protien!

Fish Marinade

Simple little marinade I wrote and used last year (2008) when my brother and father returned from a Salmon Fishing trip to the Great Lakes.

Grilled over a medium heat and used wood chips in a packet.

Fish Marinade

1 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1/2 Cup Chardonay

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

4 tspn. Old Bay Seasoning

4 tspn. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 tspn. Liquid Smoke (Hickory or Mesquite)

1 Tbl. of Sea Salt

2 tspn. Parsley Flakes

2 tspn. Garlic Powder

1 tspn. Onion Powder

2 tspn. Crushed Red Pepper

Zest of 1 Lime or Lemon (Sqeeze Juice into marinade)

Blend all ingredients and pour over fish until it is covered, let marinade for 30-45 minutes. Preheat grill to 400 degrees F. Place heavy foil on grill surface and on foil that fish will be placed on, spray with or brush with Olive Oil. Using Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper season fish and place Lime or Lemon slices on fish while cooking.

Grill or smoke fish until done, fish will flake with a fork.(About 12-15 minutes)

Enough Marinade for 4-5 6oz. fresh fish portions.

Suggested sides: serve with Wild Rice medley, Steamed Vegetable Medley, Fresh Garden Salad, and Garlic Bread along with a lemon wedge as garnish.