Saturday, January 11, 2020

QUICK TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of hot soup to warm you on a cold autumn or winter evening. This soup is made with canned beans instead of dried beans, making it quick and easy to prepare. Any variety of white canned beans will be great with this soup, from the smaller navy bean to the medium great northern bean and the larger cannellini bean. You can omit the pancetta in this recipe.



2 oz pancetta, finely diced 
2 T extra-light olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with 
cotton butcher’s twine or 1 t dried thyme
2 bay leaves
8 cups chicken stock
3 (14 oz) cans of 
any white beans, rinsed and drained 
1 (3-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a large pot or Dutch oven, fry the pancetta over medium heat until golden. Pour off most of the grease and discard.
Add the oil to the pot and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. 
Add garlic and sauté another minute.
Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, chicken stock, beans, and cheese rind.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 25 minutes.

Remove the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cheese rind. 
Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with grated Parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6 


Saturday, January 4, 2020

CLASSIC CHICKEN PICCATA

Chicken Piccata is on the menu in most Italian restaurants, and it is so easy to prepare at home. The recipe originated in Italy with veal. Serve this with Risotto alla Milanese or pasta.




2 medium lemons
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 T freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 T olive oil 
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 cup chicken stock
2 T capers, rinsed and drained
3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
2 T chopped Italian parsley

Cut one lemon into thin circles.

Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon into a small bowl and set aside.
Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise and remove the any fat and discard.
Pound them between plastic wrap to even thickness.
In a shallow bowl, add the flour and grated cheese.
Season generously with salt and pepper. 

Dredge chicken in the flour mixture, shake off excess and set aside on a platter or pizza pan. 


Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron skillet.
Add the chicken to the skillet and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, until golden. 

Transfer chicken to a heatproof platter and place in oven.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the shallot for a couple of minutes.
Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Add the wine to deglaze the pan while stirring.

Pour in the chicken stock and simmer a couple of minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice and capers and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, to reduce slightly.
Remove skillet from heat and stir in the butter and allow to melt. 
Place chicken back in skillet and spoon sauce over.
Garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4