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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Apple and Prosciutto Chicken

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Apple and prosciutto chicken is a stylish dish. It’s creamy and fruity taste will definitely impress anyone who tastes it. Prepare it for guests or when you simply feel like making something special.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, quartered

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

4 thin slices of prosciutto, sliced in half

1 red apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon calvados liqueur

1/4 cup creme fraiche

2 tablespoons cream

2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard

1/2 bunch watercress, washed, leaves picked and dried

1 radicchio, washed, leaves picked and dried

 

With a small sharp knife, slit the side of each chicken breast to create a pocket. Do not cut it all the way through. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Put two pieces of prosciutto in each pocket and one fourth of the apple slices. Secure it with a toothpick to enclose the filling.

Next heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken skin-side down and cook it for 8-10 minutes or until the skin is brown and crisp. Turn it over and cook it for another 8-10 minutes or until it is cooked. Transfer it to a plate and cover it loosely with foil.

Set the heat to high and then put the calvados in the pan. Shake the pan as you cook it for a minute or until it is slightly reduced. Add the crème fraiche, mustard and cream. Cook it for another minute or until it thickens.

Place the watercress and radicchio on individual serving plates. Remove the toothpicks on the chicken pockets and then arrange them over the vegetables. Drizzle with sauce before serving.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: ElvertBarnes

Pork Chops with Applesauce

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Here is an interesting dish that can be prepared in many ways. If you don’t have time to make your own applesauce, you can use the bottled ones. I myself am guilty of that and sometimes the taste grows on you and it becomes addicting, despite this I still recommend using fresh apples.

Ingredients:

For the pork chops

2 cups milk

3 teaspoons salt

8 (1/2-inch-thick) pork chops (2 lbs)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the applesauce

3 lb mixed green and red apples of your choice

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Dash of cinnamon

Place the milk, salt and lemon juice in a shallow dish. Mix well. Marinate the pork chops in this mixture. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Turn at least once. You can also place the chops and the marinade in a resealable bag, for better absorption.

While marinating the pork chops, you can prepare the applesauce. Set aside 1/2 of a red apple and ½ of a green apple for garnish (optional). Peel and core the apples. Chop them coarsely or in cubes. In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the water, sugar, cider vinegar, bay leaf and cinnamon. Add the apples and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer, stir occasionally. Cover and cook until the apples are very soft. After, discard the bay leaf and mash the apples.

If you want to marinate the pork chops in the applesauce: add the salt, thyme, rosemary and garlic to the applesauce mixture and remove the pork chops from the milk mixture and transfer it to the applesauce for another hour up to overnight. Keep refrigerated. After marinating, you can grill or fry them in oil and butter.

If you want to serve the chops with applesauce: season the chops with salt, garlic rosemary and thyme. Then fry it in a skillet or grill it for 5-8 minutes per side, until it turns brown. You may glaze it with some applesauce while cooking.

Serve warm with vegetables, rice or potatoes. Garnish with sliced apples if desired.

Photo Courtesy Of: Laurel Fan

Creamy Chicken with Apples

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It is a mouth-watering dish I cannot resist. The tender chicken and the crunchy apples are a perfect match. The spices also infuse a mix of flavours that make you crave for more. You can marinate the chicken in spices overnight and grill it for a healthier dish.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon whole yellow mustard seeds

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and cut into thin wedges

3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley

In a bowl, combine coriander, cumin and mustard seeds. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Coat the chicken in flour and fry it for 5-8 minutes or until both sides are light brown.

After, drain the oil using paper towels or you can place the chicken in a strainer.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Pour in the broth. Add the chicken and the spices. Increase the heat to medium high and let it boil. Next, reduce the heat and let it simmer for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has been reduced to half. Stir in the cream and allow the sauce to thicken. Season it with salt and pepper.

Add the apples and mix well before serving, Garnish with cilantro or parsley if desired. Serve with vegetables and rice.

Photo Courtesy Of: pamramsey

Quick Caramel Apples

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caramel-apples

I realize that caramel apples may not exactly be what comes to mind when you think of quick sweets to prepare, but trust me- this recipe is easy. And tooth-achingly delicious. And- because you use honey instead of sugar- quite possibly good for you. Let’s get started, shall we?

First, you need apples. I had small fuji apples on hand, but feel free to use any apples of your choice. Golden delicious, granny smith… indeed, if you like the combination of sweet and tart, try going with a good crispy green apple. Make sure your apples are cold. This recipe made me around six caramel apples- but I like to lay my caramel on thickly.

Then get your other ingredients in line: a cup of heavy cream, half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a cup of honey. Oh, and some good sturdy popsicle sticks. That’s it. Didn’t I tell you this would be easy?

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat (I used the latter). Spear each apple through with a popsicle stick, and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the heavy cream and kosher salt just until tiny bubbles start forming. You’ll want to use medium-low heat for this. Do not bring this to a boil. Not yet, anyway. Stir in the honey gently- then bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, you want it to reach 250F degrees, or until nice and thick but still quite liquid. Remove from the heat immediately.

Dip each apple in the caramel. Optionally, roll the apple in some chopped nuts after doing so. Place on your parchment-lined baking sheet, and let set. It doesn’t take very long to set. Mmmm.