Asparagus and Eggs with Mornay Sauce

I can't remember what magazine this came from, but it was well over 8 years ago when I found this recipe and I've been carrying it around forever. I finally made it last week and fell in love! With fresh veggies abounding in the grocery stores, this will be a wonderfully healthy complement to almost any meal. The sauce is so good you could drink it! If you have any lactose intolerant folks in your family, you might want to have them avoid this cheesy, creamy sauce. The rest of you can fight over it!

INGREDIENTS
1 bag frozen asparagus or 1.5 lbs. fresh
Mornay Sauce (below)
4 hard boiled eggs, cut in fourths

MORNAY SAUCE INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of ground nutmeg (mmm! I love nutmeg!)
1 1/4 cups of 2% milk
3/4 cup grated Gruyeres cheese (this is the key element)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (use the expensive kind - it melts better)

INSTRUCTIONS
Lay your asparagus in a foil-lined baking dish and cover it with foil. Bake it for about 20 minutes on 400 degrees or until tender to your liking. Prepare Mornay sauce and boil your eggs as you wait.

Heat butter in saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in your flour, nutmeg, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in milk. heat to boiling over medium heat and whisk constantly. Boil and stir for a minute or two. Add cheeses; stir until melted. Sauce should thicken. May take more time depending on your stove and the type of flour you use.

Remove foil from asparagus and set aside after it is tender. Remove, cool, peel and slice boiled eggs and set aside.

Set oven to broil and let it heat while you prepare asparagus in baking dish. Arrange sliced eggs in and around asparagus. Pour sauce over eggs and asparagus, using every drop. Broil uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes so that cheese browns on top. Serve hot (don't forget the cutting knife for each dinner guest).


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Ingredient Challenge: Hazelnut Paste

Yep. You heard me right. Hazelnut Paste. In America, I would say this product is pretty much a novelty. But, I love hazelnuts. I absolutely love them. I have made a chocolate hazelnut cake before (but it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted). I drink hazelnut flavored creamer in my coffee (or rather, I drink hazelnut syrup and coffee in my cream). In fact, I won't usually drink coffee if there's no hazelnut creamer or syrup around.

Knowing my fondness for the taste of hazelnut, a friend of mine who visited Italy recently sent me a little box with postcards, stamps, and a bottle of hazelnut paste from Napoli. I was so excited.... and yet remain clueless as to how to use it. The stuff looks like peanut-butter. I have no idea what to do with it....

...thus the Ingredient Challenge was born!

Can you help?

I'm going to look up recipes using hazelnut paste to find something to do with this lovely jar of buttered hazelnuts... but until then, would you please leave me a comment if you have a favorite hazelnut recipe that you think my jar of hazelnut paste would compliment well? I would love to hear from you.


Technorati Tags: Food, Culinary, Challenge, Ingredient, Need Recipe, Hazelnut, Napoli, Recipe, Delicious, Italy, Eat, Help, Question, Cooking, Italian

Chicken Breasts Diane

OK, I admit it. I got this recipe from one of those recipe card companies that send out free stuff in the mail, hoping you will take the bait and order the full set. I never did, but I have kept all those cards through the years, and occasionally, a few of the recipes have been really good. This was one of them. I call this "restaurant chicken", because it tastes like you really spent a lot of time on it. Even the kids liked it... even though they did ask - "what's that green stuff on top?" (the chives and parsley).

CHICKEN BREASTS DIANE

4 large boneless chicken breasts (or 6-8 tenders)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh cracked is best)
2 tbsp olive or salad oil
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives or green onions
juice of 1/2 lime or lemon (or about a tablespoon of bottled lemon/lime juice)
2 tbsp brandy or cognac (optional) - I like to use sherry also
3 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1/4 cup chicken broth (great way to use up leftover chicken broth)

Place chicken between sheets of waxed paper (or release type foil). Pound slightly with mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat ONE TABLESPOON of oil and butter in large skillet. Cook chicken over high heat for 4 minutes on each side. Do not overcook or it will be dry. Transfer to warm serving platter. Add chives and green onion (I like to cut the chives and parsley with kitchen scissors right over the pan) to juices in chicken pan, whisking in the lime or lemon juice, brandy or cognac (or sherry), and mustard. Cook for 15 seconds (still on high) whisking constantly to prevent burning. Whisk in broth. Stir until sauce is smooth. Whisk in remaining oil and butter. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.

Paprika-Almond Chicken Breasts

This recipe is a staple at my house. The key to it is to really pound that chicken thin, use a good grade of paprika (I add about 3 teaspoons instead of what the recipe calls for), and to serve it hot. I would suggest starting your other dishes first, so that everything will be ready and hot at the same time.

*****************************

INGREDIENTS

• 4 boneless skinless breasts (trimmed and pounded with meat mallet or
  rolling pin between wax paper or foil sheets to 1/2 inch thickness)


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds with skins


• 2 tsp butter or margarine


• 1/2 cup dry white wine


• 3/4 cup heavy cream (or half&half)


• 2 tsp paprika, preferably Hungarian

1. Cut fat from chicken, lay flat on wax paper or non-stick foil on counter and pound out chicken breasts (use a rolling pin if you don't have a mallet) and salt them on both sides

2. Stir nuts on frying pan (don't leave the stove as this doesn't take
long!) at medium heat until fragrant and toasted

3. Remove nuts and set aside

4. Heat butter in same skillet until bubbly, add chicken and cook about 10
minutes or until almost opaque in center and golden on both sides.

5. Remove to serving platter (no paper towel under them!). Pour nuts on top of chicken.

6. Add wine to skillet, cooking over high heat!, stirring any browned bits
left on pan - until reduced to about 2 tblsp. Remove from heat while you gather paprika and cream together.

7. Stir paprika into wine mixture that is left, slowly adding cream and
stirring until thoroughly mixed. Return to high heat over stove.

8. Continue stirring and cooking over high-high heat until mixture is the
consistency of heavy cream (constantly stirring to keep from burning)
Remove pan from stove, pour creamy paprika mixture over chicken and nuts on serving platter, sprinkle nuts on top.

Serves 4

Compliments of RecipeLand.com

Medieval Feast Menu

This is a wonderful meal that we made when we did a feast for the kids after studying a month-long unit on Kings and Queens. I hope you'll enjoy these recipes as much as we did. The only recipe that is lacking from this list is a 5$ rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store! Everyone loved the food at our feast, and it was fun to eat flowers! We sometimes make these just for fun, because they all were so tasty.

"A Salat" (Salad)

Serves 6

Salads, made mainly of herbs, were popular throughout the Middle Ages, often served at the start of a meal, rather than after the main course. The make up of the salad would change according to the season and what grew in the cook's herb garden, so feel free to adapt this basic recipes desired. Do NOT make it with dried herbs!

• 2 bunches of watercress
• 2 cartons of mustard and cress
• 1 medium leek, very finely sliced
• 6 spring onions or scallions, chopped small
• 1 bulb of fennel, slicked in thin match-sticks
• 1 large handful of fresh parsley, pull off into small sprigs
• the leaves from 1 young sprig of fresh rosemary
• the leaves from 4-6 prigs of fresh mint, slightly chopped
• 6 fresh sage leaves, slightly copped
• the leaves from 2 small branches of thyme
• a few leaves from any other herb you have (take care not to use too much of any very strong flavored ones)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• edible flowers (optional)

Wash the cresses, herbs and fennel and dry all thoroughly. Mix them,with the leek and spring onions, in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and mix again. Mix the oil with the vinegar and pour over the salad just before serving.
*******

"Savoury Tosted or Melted Cheese"

(Brie Cream Sauce)
Makes 1 cup -- approximately 8 servings

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup cream cheese
• 1/4 lb Brie or other strongly flavored cheese (farmers will work, but Brie is wonderful)
• 2 Tbsp whole milk (though not in the original recipe, I find that a bit of milk helps gives this a better consistency, and helps the whole thing hang together better)
• 1/4 t white pepper

Melt butter. Melt cream cheese in butter. Add milk. Cut up the farmer's cheese and stir it into the mixture over low heat. You may want to use a whisk to blend the two together, though a spoon will do. It does not to separate. When you have a uniform, creamy sauce you are done.

Serve over toast, put on toast and broil for 30 seconds-1 minute, mix in (or serve over) things like asparagus, bacon, sautéed onions, etc.
*******

Baked Pears

Serves 6-8

• pears, cored
• cinnamon & sugar to taste (optional)
• cloves (optional)

Place whole, cored fruit in a baking dish or pan and bake at 400° F until the fruit has completely turned a deep brown, about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar and serve.
This recipe is much less elaborate than it appears in the original, and is simply pears baked in an oven, very much like our contemporary baked apple but without the addition of sugar & spices.

Baked pears were thought to have medicinal properties and were one of the foods considered appropriate for the ill, hence the instruction to give them to the sick person. Feasts often ended with baked apples & pears, served with the other spices & confections of the dessert course. Keeping that in mind, the modern recipe has been sweetened with a little cinnamon & sugar.

You may also slice them in halves, poke a few cloves in them, sprinkle them with a little brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and bake them that way - the sugar will turn to a nice golden syrup. Asian pears taste the best - we have tried three or four different varieties, and this was the one that won the day!
*******

Chyches (baked Chick-Peas)
Serves 6-8

• 3 cups chickpeas, dried or canned
• the cloves of 2 whole garlic bulbs, peeled but left whole
• olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. each pepper & cloves (or season to taste)
• pinch saffron
• dash salt

If using canned peas, rinse well and drain; place chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400° F oven for approx. 45 minutes, turning the peas midway through roasting to evenly cook. (Less time may be required when using dried.) Be sure that they are completely cooked through - the texture and aroma will be that of roasted nuts. Remove from oven; place chickpeas in a pot with the garlic cloves; add enough water to come to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top of the peas. Top off with olive oil, adding enough to just cover the peas. Add spices, and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and continue cooking until garlic softens, about 10-15 minutes. Drain well or serve in the broth; serve hot. Serves 6-8.
*******

Perry of Pesoun (Peas and Onion)
Serves 6-8

• 2 lbs. frozen or fresh shelled peas
• 2-3 small onions, minced
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• salt & sugar to taste
• pinch saffron

Bring to a boil the onions & peas; add the remaining ingredients and return to boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook until the vegetables are tender. Drain & serve. Dress with a little extra olive oil if desired.

The kind of peas available in the Middle Ages would have required additional cooking, hence the instructions in the original recipe to cook the peas until they burst, cool them, then cook again with the other ingredients. Saffron too expensive? Use a drop or two of yellow food coloring instead. Even a hint of turmeric does nicely.
*******

"Makerouns "

(Medieval Macaroni & Cheese - delicious!)
Serves 6-8

• 3-4 lb. freshly home-made, un-dried noodles OR 1 lb. dried egg noodles*
• 1 tbs. oil
• large pinch salt
• 2 cups grated cheese (see: How to Cook Medieval - Cheese)
• 1 stick butter

Boil noodles with oil & salt until al dente (tender-crisp). Drain well. In a serving bowl or platter place some melted butter and cheese. Lay noodles on top and add more butter and cheese. Serve as is or continue adding layers of butter, cheese, and noodles. Use extra cheese as necessary. Serve immediately, or place in a hot oven for several minutes and then serve.

Makerouns appears to be the ancestor of macaroni, and this dish may best be described as "medieval mac-n-cheese." The period receipt advises to prepare it like "losyns" (lasagna), with layers of noodles, butter, and cheese. I find Cheddar cheese the tastiest, but feel free to try other varieties. The dish is wonderful when prepared with un-dried freshly made noodles, but works with a dried purchased variety as well.

*The original recipe noodles are essentially boiled pastry dough; if you have a pasta maker, feel free to use it in making your makerouns, boiling them while still fresh and un-dried. Egg noodles are probably the best to use when purchasing a commercial brand. Keep in mind the difference in weight between dried and un-dried noodles.

Recipes taken from the internet a few years ago (not sure who to give credit for as they might all be from different sites!)