Chicken Mushroom Pancake Topping Food

CONTEST-WINNING CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix cornstarch and milk until smooth. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/4-in. thickness., In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook chicken until no longer pink, 5-6 minutes per side. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat butter over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms and onion until tender. Stir in sherry, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan. Return to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Return chicken to pan; heat through.

MUSHROOM PANCAKES

Steps:

• Wash and pat dry the mushrooms. Saute all mushrooms in 1 teaspoon of oil until cooked, add fresh herbs and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside, when cool add flour, beaten egg, and chopped fresh herbs. Stir to combine well. Add about 3 tablespoons of oil onto the skillet and drop spoonfuls of mushroom batter (about 3 inches) into the oil. Fry, turning once, until both sides are lightly golden. Add more oil, if necessary, to fry the remaining batter. (Please note because different flour absorbs different amounts of liquid you may need to add more flour.)

CRISPY PANCAKES WITH CREAMY CHICKEN & BACON

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Cook the chicken breasts for 5-8 mins each side until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer to a plate. Tip the lardons into the pan and sizzle for a few mins until crispy, then tip out onto the plate with the chicken.
• If the pan looks dry, add the remaining oil, then the onion. Cook for 5 mins until softened and translucent, then stir in the mushrooms and some seasoning. Cook for 5-10 mins until the mushrooms are soft and most of the liquid in the pan has cooked. Stir in the flour, mixing it into the mushrooms to make a chunky paste, then pour in the milk, a little at a time, whisking continuously until you have a smooth sauce. Bubble for 2-3 mins until thick. Chop the chicken into small chunks and add back to the pan along with the lardons and any juices from the plate. Check the seasoning, stir in the parsley, then leave to cool and chill until you're ready to fill the pancakes.
• To make the pancakes, tip the flour into a large bowl and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Make a well in the centre and crack in the 2 eggs. Pour in the milk, then use a large whisk to combine the eggs and milk, working the flour into the liquid until you have a smooth, thin batter. Heat a large frying pan or crêpe pan with a drizzle of oil.
• When the pan is hot, pour in just under a ladleful of the batter and quickly swirl the pan to spread it across the surface, filling any gaps with an extra drizzle of batter. When the underside of the pancake is golden, flip and cook for 30 secs more. Transfer to a plate and make three more pancakes in the same way, then cool until you're ready to assemble. If you want to make the pancakes a day ahead, once cool stack on a plate, separated with sheets of baking parchment, then wrap the plate in cling film. Chill for up to 2 days.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Take one pancake and brush a circle of beaten egg around the edge. Pile a quarter of the chicken mixture into the centre of the pancake (the sauce should have thickened while chilling), then fold the pancake over and press the edges together to make a pasty shape. Transfer to a baking tray and continue assembling the remaining pancakes. Brush the top of each one with more egg and scatter over the breadcrumbs, then bake for 20-25 mins, swapping the trays halfway through. Leave to cool for 5 mins before serving with salad or baked beans, if you like.