Smacked Flat Chicken and Linguine with Broccoli Sauce

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Here is dnner combination that I used to make often when my girls were in high school and living at home. It was great for those nights before a big tennis match. The original recipe is from Creme de Colorado, still one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. I've lightened up the calories in the recipes but the great flavors still shine through.

The original recipe calls for turkey tenderloins but I have always used chicken.  It's called Smacked Flat because the chicken (or turkey) is pounded thin and then coated with seasoned bread crumbs, herbs and grated Parmesan cheese.  The thin medallions only take a few minutes to saute and then a little butter and the juice of a lemon are added to the pan to make a sauce to pour over the sauteed chicken.

The real star of the plate is the Linguine in Broccoli Cream Sauce.  This would be a delicious side to any variety of meats and seafood or could stand on it's own with some toasted pine nuts and a side salad. Even those who don't like plain broccoli will love this! (You can hide the broccoli garnish and they won't even know.)
   

Enjoy!

Smacked Flat Chicken with Linguine in Broccoli Cream Sauce

Adapted from Creme de Colorado
Printable Recipe

Smacked Flat Chicken

Serves 4

4 turkey tenderloins or 4 boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter (I either omit or use just 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter (I use only 1)
Juice of 1 lemon

Pound turkey or chicken lightly between 2 sheets of waxed paper or parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thickness. (I usually cut each breast into 2 pieces, and then pound them. ) In a plastic bag or a bowl combine the garlic powder, bread crumbs, Parmesan, pepper and paprika. Shake or dust each piece of meat until well coated and place on a waxed paper-lined plate, using waxed paper in between layers of meat, if necessary. Can be made ahead and refrigerated up to this point.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter, if using, until hot. Saute tenderloins, a few at a time for 2-3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Drain on paper toweling and keep on a warm platter.

Add a small amount of butter to the skillet over high heat. When it bubbles, add the juice of one lemon and stir rapidly. Continue to cook over high heat, stirring constantly while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet as the mixture thickens slightly. Pour this over the tenderloins and serve.

Linguine in Broccoli Cream Sauce

Adapted from Creme de Colorado
Printable Recipe

Serves 8 as a side dish

1-1/2 pounds of fresh broccoli
Reserve 1/4 cup of broccoli-cooking liquid
1/4 cup butter (I use 1/8 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated, if you have it)
1 large clove of garlic, cut into slices
1 cup heavy cream (I use fat-free half & half)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound linguine, cooked al dente and drained

Trim off and discard the ends of the broccoli stems. Cut off flowerets and peel and slice stems. Heat a large saucepan of salted water to boiling. Add broccoli and cook for about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. Rinse broccoli until cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside liquid and 3/4 cup of the cooked flowerets for garnish.

In a food processor with the steel blade, combine remaining broccoli, reserved cooking liquid, butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Turn on processor and drop garlic through the feed tube. Process until smooth. Can be made ahead up to this point. Cover and let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.

In a saucepan, heat the cream (or fat free half & half) over medium heat and stir in broccoli sauce. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and heat to simmering. In a heated serving dish, toss the warm pasta with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Garnish with reserved flowerets and serve immediately.

Pork Tenderloin with Brown Sugar-Caramelized Onions and the Best Broccoli I've Ever Had!

If glazed and caramelized onions aren't enough to send you to food nirvana, how about oven-roasted broccoli with Panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese? This pork and broccoli combination is so good together!

 

The pork was gets a beautiful sear in my enameled cast iron skillet and then finished off in the oven until done.  Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting to keep those juices in the meat and not on the cutting board.

Oven roasting broccoli (or most any other vegetable) is my favorite way to prepare it and makes it taste so much better than any other method.  The panko gives it a little crunch and the Parmesan cheese a delightful flavor. 

Enjoy!


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Pork Tenderloin with Brown Sugar Caramelized Onions

Printable Recipe

Serves 2

1 pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar - packed
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 415° F.

In a heavy skillet (I like to use this one) add 2 tablespoon of butter over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are tender and glazed, about 3 more minutes. Set aside.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown pork on all sides. Reduce heat to moderate and cook pork, covered, turning occasionally, 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a shallow baking pan, cover with the caramelized onions and roast in oven until a meat thermometer registers 155° F. for barely pink meat, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Oven-Roasted Broccoli

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown, 2007, Food Network
Printable Recipe

4 servings

1 pound broccoli, cleaned and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425F.

Cut the broccoli into bite size pieces. Trim the dark green from the stalk and cut into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. Place the broccoli into a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 13 by 9-inch metal sheet pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove the panko from the oven and add to the bowl with the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until the broccoli is tender, 8 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, toss in the cheese and serve immediately.

Tournedos of Beef with Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce

This is a delicious recipe by Bobby Flay...beef filets on toasted ciabatta bread croutons with a to-die-for red wine and mushroom sauce. I had made this recipe a while ago but it is one that is definitely worth making again and again.  This is also a great recipe if you don't have a grill.  The recipe calls for making the filets in a cast iron skillet but could easily be made on a grill ourdoors also.  Don't skip the sauce - it's amazing!


On the side, I served broccoli spears sauteed in white wine and garlic with lemon zest inspired by a Mario Batali recipe.It was such a delicious meal, and most definitely company-worthy. 

Tournedos of Beef with Red Wine and Mushroom Sauce

Recipe Adapted from Bobby Flay
Printable Recipe

4 servings

For the croutons, you will need:
4 slices, country-style bread*
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a round crouton from the center of each piece of bread big enough to fit the beef fillets. Brush both sides of the croutons with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the croutons on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

For the beef fillets and wine sauce, you will need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 beef fillet steaks (I bought a small beef tenderloin and cut my own)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper

1 pound Shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and quartered*
4 green onions with some of the light green part, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup red wine (I used an Italian Valpolicella)
1 cup beef broth (homemade is best if you have it)*
1/2 cup mushroom-soaking, liquid, optional*
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. I like to use my large, seasoned cast iron skillet for this. Season the beef fillets with salt and press some coarsely-ground black pepper onto 1 side of each fillet. Place the fillets pepper-side down into the skillet and sear until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fillets. Turn the fillets over and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes for medium-rare. Again, let the thickness of the fillet be your guide. Remove the steaks to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and return the pan to the heat. Add the mushrooms. If using rehydrated mushrooms just cook until heated. If using fresh mushrooms, cook until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated. Add the green onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the red wine and reduce by half. Add the broth and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the mustard and butter and cook for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place each fillet on top of a crouton and spoon some of the sauce over.

* My Notes:

I used rehydrated Shitake mushrooms and saved 1/2 cup of the strained soaking liquid for the sauce.

I partially reduced the red wine, beef stock and mushroom-soaking liquid before I started the steaks in order cut down on time at the end.

The original recipe called for shallots, which I did not have, so I substituted green onion and garlic. The taste was wonderful!


Broccoli Sauteed in White Wine and Garlic
Recipe adapted from Molto Italiano, Mario Batali
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into spears
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay because that's what was open)
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

In a sauté pan large enough to fit the broccoli spears, heat the olive oil with the garlic over medium-high heat until just sizzling. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing to coat with olive oil and garlic. Turn frequently and gradually add the wine to keep the garlic and broccoli from browning and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and zest, and tossing well. Serve immediately.