Pepita Crusted Chicken With Mexican Corn Cakes Food

PARMESAN-BASIL CORN CAKES

Steps:

• Cut the kernels off the corn. Pulse half the corn with the egg in a food processor; transfer to a medium bowl. Mix in the remaining corn, the flour, parmesan, basil, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Coat a large skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Cook spoonfuls until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

SCALDED CORN CAKES

Steps:

• Add the salt to the boiling water; gradually sift in the cornmeal. Stir to combine. Cool the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Shape into balls and then flatten to form patties about 2-inches across. Heat the vegetable oil or bacon drippings in a skillet. Fry patties until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn once. Drain and serve hot.
• Tip: Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray to prevent batter from sticking when shaping the balls.

PEPITA CRUSTED CHEDDAR JACK SOUTHWEST CHICKEN MAC

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add dry elbow pasta to boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes or until al dente, drain and reserve.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and jalapeno. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chicken, cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes; saute for 3 to 4 more minutes, remove from heat and set aside.
• In a separate large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Place back on medium-high heat, slowly whisk in milk and bring to a boil while continuously whisking. Reduce heat and stir in Cheddar, Monterey Jack, smoked Cheddar and cream cheese until melted and smooth.
• Stir in cooked elbow noodles and chicken mixture. Pour mac and cheese mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole dish. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and bread crumbs. Toss to coat and sprinkle crumbs and pepitas over top of mac and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crumbs browned. Enjoy!

PEPITA CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH MEXICAN CORN CAKES

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pound chicken breasts into 1/4-inch thickness. Place the eggs into a dish. The next dish mix flour, salt and pepper. In a third dish place pepitas and panko. Dip chicken into the eggs and then the flour mixture, back to the eggs and then into the pepita/panko mix to coat. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place chicken on top. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• For corn cakes:
• In food processor mix 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half, 3 tablespoons melted butter, egg yolk and half the corn until smooth. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add remaining corn, onion, cilantro and jalapeno and set aside. In a separate bowl mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and gently mix. In a small bowl whisk egg white until slightly stiff peaks form. Fold whisked egg into other ingredients. In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons oil. Drop batter by tablespoons into hot skillet making 8 cakes. Cook approximately 1 minute on each side or until browned.
• For mango sauce:
• In a food processor place the mango, white onion, cilantro, sugar, jalapeno and salt and process until smooth. Add chicken broth and place in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbles form. Reduce heat to low and stir in half-and-half.
• To Serve:
• Place 1 chicken breast and 2 corn cakes on each plate. Drizzle with mango sauce and garnish with crumbled queso fresco.

POLENTA-CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH CORNBREAD

Steps:

• If you have time, soak the chicken in the buttermilk (not regular milk) overnight. To make the cornbread, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Grease 6 holes of a muffin tin, or a special cornbread tin if you have one. Tip the dry ingredients into a bowl and separately beat the eggs with the buttermilk or yogurt. Pour over the dry ingredients and beat together to make a batter. Divide the batter between the holes and bake for 20 mins until puffed up. Remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool.
• Put a rack in a roasting tin in the oven. Tip the polenta, flour and spices into a food bag with a generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Dip the chicken into the buttermilk, add a few pieces to the bag and shake to coat in the flour mixture, then place on a plate. Heat a decent puddle of oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the chicken in batches until golden and crispy. When all the chicken has been fried, place it on the rack and bake for 30 mins until completely cooked through. Serve with the cornbread and some coleslaw.