Cold and rainy weather calls for another week of indoor
meals
Last weekend I was looking forward to the first outdoor grill of
the season. But two things got in my way. First, my cousins decided
they would have a gathering at my aunt’s house to honor all the
mothers for Mother’s Day and my family felt obligated to go. And
second, it was stormy most of the day anyway.
Cold and rainy weather calls for another week of indoor meals
Last weekend I was looking forward to the first outdoor grill of the season. But two things got in my way. First, my cousins decided they would have a gathering at my aunt’s house to honor all the mothers for Mother’s Day and my family felt obligated to go. And second, it was stormy most of the day anyway.
This time of year can be tough for planning meals as the weather goes from warm, 75-degree weather some days back to stormy, rainy weather the next. So while I was all ready to get outdoors, instead I decided to go back to some indoor options for the oven and stove top this week. The first recipe is perfect for fans of garlic. When roasted, it gets a sweet, nutty taste and is soft enough to spread on bread just like butter. If using boneless, skinless chicken breast in any of the chicken recipes, be sure to adjust the time down as the meat will cook more quickly.
Garlic-roasted chicken
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 skin-on, boneless chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heads garlic
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 slices sourdough bread, grilled or toasted
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook, skin-side down, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Separate the heads of garlic into cloves but do not peel. Flip the chicken; add the garlic and rosemary to the skillet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through but still moist, 15 to 20 more minutes.
Place the bread on a platter and top each slice with a chicken breast. Add the vinegar to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add 3 tablespoons water and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Pour the sauce and garlic over the chicken and bread.
Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger
4 skinless chicken breast halves on the bone, about 2 pounds
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped and juice reserved
1/2 tsp. of dried oregano
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes or more, to taste
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a saute pan over moderately high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion and pepper, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and juice, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and simmer the mixture covered for 10 minutes.
Return the chicken breasts to the pan and simmer, covered, until the chicken is just done, about 20 minutes longer.
Penne with Roasted Tomatoes, Garlic, and White Beans
Recipe courtesy of Ellie Krieger
3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1(15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1/2 lb. penne pasta
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice each tomato into 8 wedges and discard the seeds. Put the tomato wedges and garlic into a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and a few turns of pepper. Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Drain the beans into a large colander in the sink. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta into the colander containing the beans, so the hot pasta water will warm the beans. Return drained pasta and beans to the pasta pot.
When the tomatoes are done, pick out the garlic cloves, squeeze the garlic out of the skin into a small bowl and mash with a fork. Pour the roasted tomatoes into the pasta pot, add the garlic, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the basil and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine. Serve topped with the Parmesan.
