This thread reminds me of old friends. So many years, so many recipes. Here are two more. Joe's chicken recipe is one of my all-time favorites. It's one of those recipes where you read the ingredients and think, oh, I'd just wing something like that, but you really shouldn't. This is a more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts recipe.
Pollo alla Siciliana
(capelli d'angelo in brodetto di pollo alle erbe)
Recipe by Joe Seals (Gardenguru) (a version he posted)
Serves 4
2 boned and skinned chicken breast halves
cut into thin strips (1/4 inch thick, 1/2 inch wide,
1 inch long)
6 Tbs flour
1⁄2 Tbs red pepper flakes
1 tsp fresh ground pepper salt to taste [optional]
2 Tbs yellow onion sliced thin
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 Tbs butter
4 Tbs olive oil
1⁄4 cup tomatoes seeded, peeled, diced
1⁄2 tsp dried oregano (or a couple of sprigs of fresh)
3 Tbs fresh basil chopped
2 Tbs fresh parsley chopped
12 ounces chicken broth * *another version of this recipe doubles most quantities but has 12 oz. broth and 12 oz. Pasta, but Joe did post this one
8 ounces angel hair pasta *
Flatten chicken breasts and cut into 1⁄2" by 1" strips. In a plastic storage bag, mix flour, pepper flakes, and ground pepper. Put chicken strips into bag and shake.
Slice onion and garlic. If using fresh tomatoes, peel, seed, and chop. Chop parsley and basil.
When all ingredients are prepared, put water on to boil for the pasta.
Heat 1⁄2 of the butter and olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add 1⁄2 of the chicken strips and brown each side lightly. Remove chicken from skillet with a slotted spoon, add remainder of butter and oil, heat, and add remainder of chicken. Remove when browned.
Add onion to skillet, reduce heat, and sauté until soft. Scrape chicken bits from bottom of skillet. Add garlic and sauté briefly (not brown).
Add tomatoes, oregano, basil, and parsley. Mix thoroughly and heat well. For a thicker "sauce", add a tablespoon or so of the remaining dredging flour at this point.
Add chicken stock and simmer until reduced a little.
Return chicken to skillet, mix thoroughly, and reduce heat to lowest setting.
Add pasta to boiling water.
Put drained pasta onto plates and spoon chicken and sauce onto pasta.
Marilyn's Meatballs
3/4 + 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup heavy cream (or milk)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground veal or pork
1 onion; minced
2 cloves garlic: crushed or minced
1 teaspoon each; oregano, basil, parsley
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon table salt)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
Combine 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs with milk; let set for five minutes. Stir together onion, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, egg yolk and bread soaked in milk. Fold in meats and shape into 1/4-cup balls and roll in remaining bread crumbs. Place a rack inside a baking dish sprayed with Pam leaving a little space between each meatball. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 425° until they reach an internal temperature of 160°. Do not over bake. Makes about 20 meatballs. These are very tender and juicy.
Q