Runaway Birds

Another delicious dish I learned in Italy. The sage leaves make the chicken look like it has wings and might run away!

6 chicken breasts halves, pounded thin

6 slices prosciutto

6 slices pecorino cheese

6 slices pancetta

18 sage leaves

2 large, thin scrambled egg omelets cut in 6 pieces

2 T butter

3 T oil

String

Layer the following on top of the chicken breast:

Sage leaf

Piece of omelet

Slice of prosciutto

Slice of cheese

Roll up and wrap with a slice of pancetta.

Tie with string, tucking another sage leaf on each side of the rolled up bird.

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet and fry birds until cooked through. The outside should be a deep brown and crispy.

To serve, remove the string and cut in half.

Cooking Tips from Chef DeLutis

A week or so ago, I dragged myself out of a very comfortable bed at Hotel Monaco and walked four steaming Baltimore blocks to Sotto Sopra for a cooking class with Chef Christian DeLutis.

We walked to the Farmers Market under the expressway (downhill to the market --- very UPHILL on the way back), with Chef pointing out his favorite vendors and talking about the benefits of in-season cooking.

Upon our return to Sotto Sopra, the real instruction started. I picked up a lot of tips, but most important, the heat in the kitchen gave me a profound respect for chefs. I had to keep stepping out to the dining room to catch my breath.

Tips: Smart Chicken taste best. Cold soups need more seasoning than hot ones.

Most memorable: I met several wonderful people -- a judge, two culinary students, and a writer for multiculturalcookingnetwork blog ...

More to come.

Chopped

I love grabbing an ingredient or two and creating a meal around them - a la "Chopped."

Last night I was inspired by chicken and a jar of peanut satay sauce. In addition to the chicken and peanut sauce, I used the following "on hand" ingredients:

Greek yogurt
Dried minced onions
Dill

Chicken breasts
Celery salt
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Pepper
"Pride of Szeged" Chicken Rub
EVOO
Chicken broth
"A Taste of Thai" Peanut Satay Sauce

Sliced green onions
Precooked, bagged brown rice


Add some dill, minced onion, and garlic powder to Greek yogurt. Let sit in refrigerator.

Heat a pan with EVOO. Add 2 chicken breasts that have been liberally coated with pepper, celery salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and some "Pride of Szeged" Chicken Rub.

Sear both sides of the chicken then add a chicken broth and several spoonfuls of the peanut satay sauce. Cover and let simmer until chicken is almost done.

Heat precooked bagged brown rice in microwave.

Add sliced green onion to the chicken for the last minute or two of cooking.

Serve chicken with sauce over rice and put some of the yogurt mixture on the side.

Enjoyed some really good food while the window replacement salesman measured all our windows. Even he couldn't resist and ended up eating a plateful.

This is a keeper.

Greek Chicken Burgers

Day three of electricians and I’ve got power back! I’m told that the bedroom and two bathrooms are all on one circuit (?) because 40 years ago builders didn’t think about a single room with a TV, cable box, clock radio, and a computer, not to mention halogen lamps, and bathrooms with blow dryers, electric toothbrushes … you get the idea.

Busy day, too. Emergency run to the Motor Vehicle Administration with my birth certificate to prove a connection between my daughter and my mother. Mom’s giving up her car and we had to prove the family relationship. With three different last names, it’s not easy, but it’s done.

Matt‘s coming for dinner, and in between trying to get some work done from home, I made two trips to the grocery store for ingredients but still had to ask Matt to pick up a cucumber. I remember scanning one at the store but it escaped between there and home.

Dinner: Greek chicken burgers, corn on the cob, and grilled baby zucchini and asparagus.

For burger:
Ground chicken
Diced red and green peppers
Minced onion
Chopped kalamata olives
Feta cheese
Oregano
Grill seasoning

Top with:
Fresh spinach
Red onion
Tomato

On:
Whole wheat bun

Yogurt sauce to spread on bun:
Garlic
Lemon
Yogurt
Seeded diced cucumber
Shake of dill

It's best if you make the yogurt spread in advance so the flavors have time to come together. Due to late arrival of the cuke, mine was a little blah but not bad.

I find that buns these days are just too big. I cut the bun in thirds, using the top and bottom for the burger and save the middle for fresh breadcrumbs.

Propane ran out on the grill, so I used a cast iron skillet for the burgers and veggies. Would have preferred the grill but the skillet came in a strong second place.