CHICKEN OR VEAL MARSALA ASHTON STYLE (#103)

     This recipe requires a rather important but worthwhile sauce known as "Demi-Glace".  Because I am making a limited recipe for 4, 6 or 8 people, I am going to make a smaller variation of Demi-Glace. I also am going to be using chicken pieces for the recipe though one can also use veal.  By doing this, I also will be using parts of the chicken to make a Demi-Glace style sauce. I hope you will like this recipe as it is not only a classic but also a delicious dish. (See the recipe for Demi-Glace below) ENJOY

CHICKEN OR VEAL MARSALA RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
     4 to 8 pieces of chicken breasts or
     thinly sliced veal
     2 medium onions peeled and sliced
     1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
     1/2 stick of butter
     1 cup of flour for dredging
     1/2 tsp coarse pepper
     1 bay leaf
     1 sprig of fresh thyme
     1 tsp coarse black pepper
     1 tsp salt
      1/2 lbs of sliced crimini or button
     mushrooms
     1 cup of Marsala wine
     1 cup of Demi-glace sauce
     1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
     1. put each piece of chicken breast or veal
         slices into a gal size plastic bag and using
         a foodmallet pound the chicken breast or
         veal very thin
    2. dredge each piece of pounded chicken
        breast or veal in the flour
    3. pour the olive oil and the butter into a
        large fry pan over moderate heat and
        saute each side of all the chicken breasts
        about 5 minutes until slightly brown, (add salt
        and pepper to taste)
    4. in the same oil add the onions and sliced
        mushrooms and saute them until slightly brown
    5. add the Demi-Glace sauce and Marsala wine
        over the mushrooms and saute about
        7 or 8 minutes until all is incorporated
    6. plate each piece of chicken breast or veal
        and add some mushrooms with the
        sauce over them
    7. serve with fettuchini pasta (pour
        some of the sauce over the fettuchini)
        and serve with fresh green beans and
       a good white wine

    

INGREDIENTS FOR A DEMI-GLACE SAUCE:
     1 whole frying chicken in which the breasts are
        separated from the chicken for the pounded
        chicken for the Chicken marsala; and the rest
        of the chicken is cut up to make the Demi-Glace
        sauce. (One can use about 2 lbs of veal bones instead)
    2 medium onions; peeled and rough cut
    3 carrots rough cut
    1 white part large leek, rough cut
    1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
    1/2 stick of unsalted butter
       1 tab of  Millers or equiv chicken base
     2 sprigs of thyme
    1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper
    2 tab flour
     (1  DIRECTIONS FOR DEMI-GLACE SAUCE
(PRE HEAT OVEN TO 450 DEGREES)
     1. remove the two chicken breasts from
         the whole frying chicken and cut each
         breast in half (for eight people buy two
         additional whole chicken breasts with
         the bone and remove the breasts and
         cut them into two pieces) save the rest
         to make the Demi-Glace sauce
    2. in a 13" by 19" or so pan put the
        cut up chicken pieces or veal in which you
        have added a 1/2 cup of  virgin olive
        oil and half stick of melted butter
    3. add the 3 chopped carrots, 2 chopped
       onions, chopped white part of a large leek,
       thyme, 1.\/2 tsp of coarse ground pepper,
      1 tab of Millers or equiv chicken base, 1/2
      can of 6 oz Contadina tomato paste, 1/2 cup
      of white port wine, and 1/2 cup of Pinot
      Grigio white wine
    4. roast in the 450 degree oven about 35 minutes until all
       the meat and bones are well browned (not
       burned)
    5. remove all the ingredients and put them into
        a soup pot, deglaze the pan and add this to
        the pot
   6. add 2 qts of water to the pot and simmer
       about 2 to 3 hrs until the sauce is reduced
   7. skim the fat from the pot to keep the
       stock from being cloudy
   8. strain the stock into a sieve and discard the
       bones and all the vegtables
   9. check the stock for taste and pour into a
       large fry pan,
 10 make a paste of the flour and then add a
     1/4 cup of port and a 1/4 cup of pinot grigio
     wine and stir until the flour is the consistency
     of light cream and add it to the stock in the
     fry pan to slightly thicken the stock into a
    sauce and simmer until the stock is
    further reduced
11 the sauce is ready to use for the chicken or
    veal marsala. whatever you don't use you can
   freeze for another time


     
   
          

CHICKEN CACCIATORE ASHTON STYLE (#102)

     One doesn't always see recipes for chicken cacciatore in all Italian cookbooks or even American cookbooks. There are various ways of making this dish.  For instance, my mother makes it without tomato sauce. Although I like the results she gets, it reminds me of a French dish more than an Italian dish.  The following recipe does contain tomato sauce though otherwise it is close to what my mother makes. I hope you like this recipe and let me know if you try it. ENJOY

INGREDIENTS:
     3 to 4 lb whole chicken fryer cut into pieces
     1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
     1 to 2 medium onions peeled and sliced
     5 or so cloves of garlic, smashed, peeled and
     rough cut
     1 cup Pinot Grigio or any good dry white
     or red (Merlot is good) wine
     2 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
     1 green pepper rough cut
     1 6oz can of Contadina tomato paste
     1 lg can of Contadina crushed tomatoes
     1/2 tsp Kosher salt or 1 tsp regular salt
     2 tsp of sugar
     1/2 tsp coarse pepper or 1 tsp regular pepper
     2 tab of dried basil
DIRECTIONS:
     1. pour 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil in a large
         fry pan over moderately high heat
     2. when the oil is hot add fry dried pieces of
         chicken (don't crowd the pieces which
         means to fry a few at a time) until all are
         browned then set aside
     3. in the same oil fry the onions and garlic
         until slightly browned (don't burn the garlic)
         set aside
     4.(you may have to add a little more oil if
        necessary to the pan) add the mushrooms
        and peppers and fry about 10 to 15 minutes
        until slightly browned and set aside
    5. pour the 6 oz can of tomato paste into the
       fry pan and saute about 5 to 7 minutes
    6. pour the crushed tomatoes into the fry
       fry pan and stir until incorporated
   7. add the wine into the sauce and stir
       until incorporated
   8. add the sugar, pepper,salt, and basil into the tomatoes
       and stir until incorporated about 10 minutes
   9. return the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and chicken into
       the pan and cover and cook about 30 minutes
10. this recipe will serve 8 or more persons generously ENJOY

MUSHROOM VOL AU VENT ASHTON STYLE (#101)

          Some time ago I was reading a James Herriot book "All Things Bright And Beaufiful" which included his visit to another vet that he called Granville Bennett who was discribed as an excellent surgeon as well as someone who loved to eat as well as  becoming James friend.  James Herriott discribes their visit to a meeting of veternarians and his having Mushrooms Vol Au Vent. The recipe I am making is a variation of this French recipe.  One of the ingredients is the use of  puff pastry which I just made for a seafood dish called Fruits De Mer.  I believe it is worth trying and I encourage you to try it as I know you will love it as a luncheon dish or a side dish for dinner. ENJOY

INGREDIENTS:
     16 oz Pettridgle Farm Brand or equal puff pastry sheets
     1 egg mixed with a little water
     1/2 stick of butter
     1/4 cup of virgin olive oil
     2 tab Millers (or equivilent) Chicken Base
     1 lb of mushrooms, crimini or white button cut
     into quarters
     1 medium onion peeled and sliced
       1 cup heavy cream
     1/2 tsp coarse pepper
     2 cups Creme Fraich (see recipe below)

DIRECTIONS:
   1. unroll the puff pastry, let thaw; and using a
       3 inch diameter round cookie cutter cut out
       15 pieces or so and put them on an ungreased cookie
       sheet. (use a fork and poke the puff pastry several
       times so that it stays even in baking
  2. mix the egg and water and brush on each of the
     puff pastry and bake at 350 degrees until the puff
     pastry has risen and is shiny and light brown
 3. in a large fry pan, melt the butter and add the virgin olive oil
     and put over a moderate heat
 4. peel and slice the onion and fry them in the melted
     butter and oil until the onions are slightly brown
 5  in the same lg fry pan add the the mushrooms and the 2 tab
     of Millers Chicken base stiring until the chicken base
     is incorporated and saute the mushrooms about 8 to 10
     minutes until the they are nice and brown
 6. add the heavy cream and stir in until all is incorporated
 7. remove part of each of top of the round puff pastry and
     spoon in the mushroom mixture until each is filled
 8  (Optional) add a dollop of the Creme Fraich and then
     replace the top and serve hot
 9. serves up to 10 or more generously

CREME FRAICHE RECIPE
1.  mix 2 pints of heavy cream and
    1 pint of sour cream (or buttermilk)
2. after the two are thoroughly mixed;
    let stand a couple of hours until it has
    thickened; (you can put it in the refridgerator
    as it will keep at least a week but once it has
    thickened you can put a dollop on each puff
    pastry.