Marsala wine sweetens mushrooms and onions
In our region we are spoiled in being able to get lots of fresh
fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the year. When I lived in
Ireland for a semester in college, Tropicana orange juice cost more
than whiskey because the stuff had to be imported. I had Irish
friends who had never tried real orange juice because
”
orange drink
”
was so much cheaper.
Marsala wine sweetens mushrooms and onions
In our region we are spoiled in being able to get lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the year. When I lived in Ireland for a semester in college, Tropicana orange juice cost more than whiskey because the stuff had to be imported. I had Irish friends who had never tried real orange juice because “orange drink” was so much cheaper.
Here we can get fresh orange juice all year long, but there is something to be said for eating vegetables that offer a heartier flavor during the colder months. Some of our favorite ingredients to use for a hot meal on the stove are onions and mushrooms. One of the best meals to combine the two is our take on chicken marsala, a dish that we’ve made so often we no longer use a recipe, and that we have altered to take out some of the cream and butter that typical restaurant renditions have. This version of the Italian classic uses the strong flavor of sweet onions and sweet Marsala wine to flavor the chicken. We serve this warm, winter meal over egg noodles or mashed potatoes with some garlic green beans on the side.
Chicken marsala
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 sweet onions, sliced
2 c. button mushrooms sliced
1 ½ c. sweet Marsala wine (more can be added to create more sauce)
Chicken broth if needed to cut wine flavor
Salt and pepper
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the pan and turn heat up to brown chicken on both sides, about three minutes each side. Remove chicken to a plate, wrapped in aluminum foil. Add onions to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until they start to turn translucent. Add mushrooms and wine. Cook down for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth to taste. Return chicken to the pan to reheat and finish cooking, about five minutes.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Recipe courtesy of Food Network
1 head garlic
Olive oil
2 lbs. red potatoes, washed well and quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter, to taste
¾ c. milk (heavy cream can be substituted)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice off the very top of the garlic head. Drizzle head with olive oil and wrap in foil. Place on a sheet tray and bake until tender and fragrant, roughly 35 min. (times may vary by oven.) Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the cloves and mash with a wooden spoon.
Place potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender and drain. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Add butter and milk. Add the roasted garlic and potatoes and mash all together.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Garlic green beans
1 lb. fresh green beans
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Preheat a saute pan over medium heat with olive oil. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 min. Add in green beans and toss in oil and garlic. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 min. Remove lid and add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Cook until beans have reached preferred tenderness.
