Maker's Table

Shrimp + Asparagus + Greens = Spring

Here's another three ingredient meal, ready in a few minutes.

The Three Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 cups mesclun salad greens, washed and spun dry
1 pound fresh asparagus

The Other Ingredients That Aren't Supposed to Count
1 lemon, cut into thirds
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbs olive oil
paprika
salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 Tbs olive oil, the juice of 1/3 of the lemon, 3/4 of the minced garlic, a few shakes of paprika, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss with a fork and let marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Juice another 1/3 of the lemon into another bowl. Add the remaining minced garlic, 3 Tbs olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Whisk this dressing together and toss with the greens. Divide the greens onto two plates and garnish with the remaining 1/3 lemon, cut into two wedges.

Snap the asparagus and discard the tough ends. Rinse and place in a pan with half an inch of salted water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until bright green.

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs olive oil, let it heat one minute, then add the shrimp plus its marinade. Cook 2 minutes, then toss to cook the other side. Cover briefly to steam the shrimp and cook through. Remove the cover for the last minute of cooking.

Drain the asparagus. Place the shrimp on top of the greens and set the asparagus alongside. Crack a little fresh black pepper over the plate. Serve with warm crusty bread and chilled Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier.

Rustic Braised Chicken with Fennel and Black Olives

Here's another in the series of Three Ingredient Meals. The fennel and rosemary are aromatic complements to the dark chicken and olives.

The Three Ingredients
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 1-1/4 pounds
1 large or two small fennel bulbs
1/4 to 1/3 cup pitted black Saracena, Kalamata, or similar oil-packed black olives

The Other Ingredients That Aren't Supposed to Count
3-4 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
3 Tbs olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tbs fresh rosemary
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Rinse the chicken thighs and pat dry. Trim any excess fat or cartilage and cut each thigh into two pieces. Sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Rinse the fennel bulb and trim the long fibrous stalks, reserving any feathery greens. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise and cut out the hard core. Slice the fennel crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the greens coarsely.

Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame and add 2 Tbs oil. When the oil shimmers, add half the chicken pieces and cook about 2 minutes, then flip to brown the other side. Remove and set aside, then brown the remaining chicken and set that aside, too.

Heat the remaining olive oil and add the garlic and fennel. Sauté until the fennel begins to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Place the fennel in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan and place the chicken pieces and its juices on top.

Return the pan to the heat, turn the flame to high, and pour in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits. Boil the stock until it's reduced by half. Pour this over the chicken and fennel in the baking pan.

Scatter the olives, fennel greens, and chopped rosemary over the chicken. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the liquid is reduced.

Serve with crusty bread, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a few drizzles of good-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Another Three Ingredient Meal

There's been a lot of interest in my recent recipe for a three ingredient meal. Here's another, also featuring chicken. These recipes are quick and simple, just right for a weeknight.

The Three Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 sweet red pepper (or half red and half yellow), sliced into 1/4 inch strips
2 large or 3 small baby bok choy, sliced lengthwise into 3/4 inch strips

The Other Ingredients That Aren't Supposed to Count
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced lengthwise
2 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup Marsala, Madiera, or dry white wine
salt and pepper

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Flay the breasts open, then cut each into two pieces. Lay plastic wrap over the meat and pound each piece into cutlets about 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbs of oil over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add 1/3 of the garlic, let it cook for 15 seconds, then throw in the pepper strips. Let the peppers brown for 1-2 minutes, then shake the pan to sauté. When the peppers are browned on both sides and just starting to soften, remove and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet, let it heat up, then and add the chicken cutlets. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side about a minute. Toss in the remaining garlic and let it cook a minute longer. Pour the wine over the chicken, let it reduce a bit, then cover with the cooked peppers and bok choy. Cover the pan and simmer 3-5 minutes, until the bok choy wilts and the pan juices turn syrupy.

Remove from the heat, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.

A Three Ingredient Meal (more or less)

There's a meme about three-ingredient meals. Google it, you'll see. Tonight, I made my own. Not on purpose, just because that's what was there, and fresh.

The Three Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breasts
2 smallish zucchini (no baseball bats, even if it is August), cut into rounds
a handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half; I used orange ones, because my 8-foot vine is loaded with them, and they're sweet

The Other Ingredients That Aren't Supposed to Count
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of fresh herbs, roughly chopped; I used basil and parsley
olive oil
salt and pepper

Rinse the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and skin them, if necessary. Cut them into thin, smallish pieces, evenly thick, maybe 3 or 4 per breast. Sprinkle them with salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.

Heat some oil in a sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the cutlets until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Add a little oil to the pan, if needed. Tun up the heat. Toss in the garlic. When it becomes fragrant, after about 30 seconds, add the zucchini and sauté until it's browned and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, herbs, and chicken, and cook only until the tomatoes start to soften. Serve immediately.

We had it tonight with a Zenato Pinot Grigio, 2007. Delicious.