Chicken Porcini Food

CHICKEN WITH PORCINI GRAVY AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in pot with 2 cups of the stock. Simmer to soften the mushrooms and flavor the stock. When rehydrated, remove the mushrooms from the stock and chop. Reserve the stock, except for the very bottom, which may contain grit from the mushrooms.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and add a bit more oil if necessary. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and melt. When the butter foams, add the garlic, onions, sage, thyme and some salt and pepper, and cook to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, then deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the chopped mushrooms and whisk in the flavored stock. Cook to thicken a bit and add the chicken back to the sauce.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat.
• To serve, heat the remaining 1 cup stock, the milk and 1 cup water to a low boil. Whisk in the polenta, and then whisk to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, some salt and pepper and the grated cheese.
• Serve the polenta in shallow bowls topped with the chicken, gravy and a sprinkle of parsley.

PAN-SEARED CHICKEN WITH PORCINI-CHESTNUT SAUCE WITH STEAMED SPINACH AND ORZO

Steps:

• Cook orzo according to package directions.
• Soak mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to hot pan. Sear 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. To the same pan, add garlic and shallots and saute 3 minutes, until soft. Add sherry and thyme and cook 1 minute. Return chicken to pan with the chicken broth and chestnuts. Drain mushrooms through a paper towel-lined sieve and add to pan with the strained soaking liquid. Simmer 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove 2 chicken breast halves and reserve for another meal. To the skillet, add heavy cream and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve chicken and mushroom sauce over half of the orzo pasta, reserving second half of orzo for another meal. Serve spinach on the side.

PORCINI ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C (170C Fan).
• To prepare the chicken use your fingers to seperate the skin away from the breast meat, starting at the neck end and being sure not to pierce the skin.
• Blitz the dried porcini to a fine powder in a coffee/spice grinder (or failing that in a food processor/blender). Beat into the softened butter to form a smooth paste. Push this mixture underneath the skin of the chicken and spread the remainder over the outside. Season the inside of the cavity well with salt and stuff with the lemon quarters.
• Place on a wire rack over a roasting tin. Roast for approximately 1 hour until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the fat part of the thigh. Rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

GLAZED CHICKEN WITH PORCINI AND CRISP POTATOES

Steps:

• Soak porcini in hot water (1 1/2 cups) in a small bowl until well softened, 20 to 30 minutes. Lift porcini out, squeezing liquid into bowl, then rinse porcini (to remove any grit) and coarsely chop. Strain soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a damp paper towel into a small saucepan and reserve.
• Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
• Cook shallots in 2 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add porcini, chopped thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons Marsala and boil until most of liquid has evaporated, then remove from heat.
• Add honey to soaking liquid in saucepan with thyme sprigs, remaining 2 tablespoons Marsala, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Boil until syrupy and reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs.
• Meanwhile, remove excess fat from chicken and pat dry. Season inside and out with a rounded teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Stuff cavity with mushroom mixture and tie legs with string.
• Put chicken in a small (13-by 9-inch) roasting pan. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 hour. About 5 minutes before chicken is done, brush with all of honey glaze. If glaze begins to get too dark before chicken is cooked through, loosely cover with foil.
• While chicken roasts, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. In cleaned nonstick skillet, heat remaining 3 1/3 tablespoons oil over medium heat, then add potatoes, stirring to coat. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and potatoes are golden brown all over, about 20 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet (do not cover).
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest 15 minutes. Turn off oven and put potatoes in oven to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners and add flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and vinegar, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Boil mixture until reduced by about a third, about 4 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat.
• Discard kitchen string from chicken. Scoop out mushroom mixture into a bowl, stir in potatoes, and serve with chicken.

GRILLED PORCINI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Grind porcini to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder or blender. Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and porcini powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Tilting skillet, press paste with back of a spoon to separate from oil, then pour off oil from skillet into a small cup and reserve. Transfer paste to a plate and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking over moderate heat.
• Pat chicken dry and remove excess fat. Working from backbone side of a half chicken, loosen skin over breast and drumstick to form a large pocket, then smear half of paste over meat. Repeat with remaining chicken half and paste. Rub reserved oil all over chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill chicken, skin side up, over turned-off burner, covered, without turning, 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill, covered, until skin is crisp and meat is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven and one Pyrex at 65°C/150°F.
• Rub the chicken with the Mexican spices.
• Heat skillet with 1 tablespoon margarine at high temperatures and add the chicken.
• Cook the chicken on each side for about 2 minutes until light brown. Set aside in the preheated oven for at least 20 minutes.
• In the same skillet add the second tablespoon of margarine.
• Add onions and cook until soft.
• Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
• Dissolve corn flour in broth.
• Now add wine, cream, broth with cornfour, lemon zest, pepper, garlic and chives.
• Stir until combined, adjust salt and pepper and place another bowl in the oven until ready to eat.
• Just before serving, place the chicken hearth on the plate adjust sauce on the plate and decorate with some chives if you want.
• Note: cooking at low temperature will allow you to prepare in advance and have time for your guests as the meat will not dry out rapidly.

CHICKEN WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Pour over enough boiling water to cover the mushrooms. Leave to soak for 30 mins, then drain.
• Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the chicken and cook for 10 mins, turning occasionally. Add the wine and mushrooms and cook for 5 mins or until the wine has evaporated.
• Add the cream and cook for 5-10 mins or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Add the tarragon and season to taste.
• Cook the tagliatelle according to packet instructions and drain. Cook the asparagus in a pan of simmering water until tender, then drain.
• Arrange the tagliatelle in the centre of each plate. Scatter with the asparagus, spoon over the chicken and mushrooms, and serve immediately.