Classic Toast Points Food

CLASSIC CHICKEN A LA KING RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sliced mushrooms, green bell pepper, and green onion, then cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.
• Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
• Gradually add milk, cream, or half-and-half along with 1 cup of the chicken broth, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking over low to medium-low heat, stirring, until mixture is hot and thickened. Add more chicken broth, if necessary.
• Cook for about 2 minutes longer. Add the diced chicken and pimiento and heat through.
• Serve over toast points (see below) or rice, or spoon into baked puff pastry shells (see below).
• Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley if desired.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT TOAST POINTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400°F/200ºC.
• Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small pan on the hob.
• Use a serrated knife and a sawing action to cut the crusts from the slices of bread. (see note 3)
• Lightly brush 1 side of bread with butter mixture. Sprinkle with pepper
• Cut each slice of bread into 4 triangles.
• Place the bread, buttered sides up, onto a baking sheet.
• Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden and toasted.
• Allow to cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.

GOLDEN TOAST POINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice crusts off bread, and cut each slice into quarters, to form four triangles. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until bread is golden and beginning to crisp, about 15 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool slightly.

LOBSTER NEWBURG

Steps:

• Into a large kettle of boiling salted water plunge the lobsters, head first, and boil them, covered, for 8 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil. Transfer the lobsters with tongs to a cutting board and let them cool until they can be handled. Break off the claws at the body and crack them. Remove the claw meat and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. Halve the lobsters length-wise along the undersides, remove the meat from the tails, discarding the bodies, and cut it into 1/2-inch pieces.
• In a heavy saucepan cook the lobster meat in the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of the Sherry and 3 tablespoons of the brandy, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer the lobster meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the cream to the Sherry mixture and boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1 cup. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon Sherry, the remaining 1 teaspoon brandy, the nutmeg, the cayenne, and salt to taste. Whisk in the yolks, cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it registers 140°F. on a deep-fat thermometer, and cook it, whisking, for 3 minutes more. Stir in the lobster meat and serve the lobster Newburg over the toast.