Lots of Kid's Cooking this month!
I taught the first session of cooking camp in June and it was a wonderful week. We had some challenges, not with the students, and we persevered and met the challenges. I am kind of hoping for a nice boring week of cooking next week. Then a week of cooking for personal chef clients followed by another week of camp. July is nice and busy!
The theme is the same as in June, just new kids and probably some new assistants. I have done better scheduling my life after camp so may not be as busy as the June week. I'm okay with that.
I've been cooking up a storm since I've had more time this week and last weekend and I have enjoyed it. I don't plan on doing anything complicated or new next week and that's okay too. I do want to eat balanced meals, at home, that are easy. I will menu plan tomorrow but I did a little freezer inventory when I made room for my yearly corn and saw several things with potential.
I have some frozen ravioli, some sauce and I can add a salad. I have some chicken soup and I never think it's too hot for soup. I have ground meat and burgers are good. I have lots of chicken spinach burritos made and ready to heat. There are always eggs, I have fresh mozzarella in the fridge and hopefully some ripe tomatoes from the yard.
I did try a new chicken recipe from Fine Cooking and it was delicious. I've had it marked for some time, it's from the June/July issue. Sadly I was out of capers and had to leave them out, I used cayenne and otherwise I followed the recipe.
Chicken Cutlets with Bell Pepper Ragout
serves 4
1 1/4 lb. ripe plum tomatoes (6 to 8), cored, halved lengthwise, and seeded
1 medium red or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. piment d’Espelette or 1/2 tsp. cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into cutlets
2 Tbs. nonpareil (small) capers, rinsed and patted dry
1 medium red or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. piment d’Espelette or 1/2 tsp. cayenne
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic, mashed to a paste with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into cutlets
2 Tbs. nonpareil (small) capers, rinsed and patted dry
Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high.
Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the tomatoes cut side up on one side and the peppers and onion on the other side. Drizzle everything with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil and sprinkle with the piment d’Espelette, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Toss the peppers and onions. Broil until the tomatoes are collapsed, about 7 minutes. Flip the tomatoes, toss the peppers and onions, and broil until the tomato skins have large black spots and the peppers and onions are tender, about 5 minutes more.
Use tongs to pull the skins off the tomatoes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board. Put the peppers and onions in a large bowl; add the garlic paste. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl with the other vegetables. Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put the flour in a shallow pan. Season the chicken with 1-1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; dredge in the flour. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken, flipping once, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving plates. Wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and fry the capers over medium-high heat until they pop open and become crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle them over the chicken. Serve with the ragout.
Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the tomatoes cut side up on one side and the peppers and onion on the other side. Drizzle everything with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil and sprinkle with the piment d’Espelette, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Toss the peppers and onions. Broil until the tomatoes are collapsed, about 7 minutes. Flip the tomatoes, toss the peppers and onions, and broil until the tomato skins have large black spots and the peppers and onions are tender, about 5 minutes more.
Use tongs to pull the skins off the tomatoes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board. Put the peppers and onions in a large bowl; add the garlic paste. Chop the tomatoes and add to the bowl with the other vegetables. Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put the flour in a shallow pan. Season the chicken with 1-1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper; dredge in the flour. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken, flipping once, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to serving plates. Wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and fry the capers over medium-high heat until they pop open and become crisp, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle them over the chicken. Serve with the ragout.
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