Monthly Archives: June 2021

Recipe

Peppers, Mushrooms and Onions (sautéed)

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INGREDIENTS:

1 pound of mushrooms

2 Green Bell Peppers

2 Red Bell Peppers

4 Large yellow onions

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 Tbsp. Olive oil

Italian seasoning (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare peppers by removing the white pit from the center and slice into ¼ inch strips. Prepare the onion by cutting it in half lengthways from bulb end to tip. Remove papery outer skin. Place onion cut side down on chopping board. Using the tip of the knife, cut onion lengthways into even slices, or, at a slight angle, into even wedges until thin strips are left.

Wash mushrooms under cold running water and slice 1/8 to ¼ inch thick.

Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add peppers and onion and sauté over medium high heat for 2 minutes until pepper just begin to soften. Add mushrooms and cook until peppers and onion are tender but not mushy.

NOTES: Perfect with a steak or chicken as a side dish.

Recipe

Chicken Cutlets

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INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (8 thin cutlets)

3 eggs

½ cup flavored bread crumbs

¼ cup vegetable oil or peanut oil

DIRECTIONS:

Slice thick chicken breasts in half so they are thin. Pound all chicken using meat tenderizer/mallet to ½ inch thick. I use parchment t paper or handy wrap on top so the chicken isn’t all over the mallet. Beat three eggs in medium size bowl. Heat large frying pan and oil over medium to medium high heat. Dip one chicken beast at a time into egg mixture. Then, coat with breadcrumbs by pouring ½ a cup of breadcrumbs into a clean dish. Place chicken on top of bread crumbs and cover with more breadcrumbs. Press then bread crumbs firmly onto the chicken using fork or your hand. Flip the chicken over and press chicken into breadcrumbs again. Lightly shake off excess bread crumbs. There should be no egg showing. Place chicken breast onto a plate. Now you can move those chicken breasts into a frying pan. Add the tail end of the chicken into the pan facing away from you so if the oil splashes it splashes AWAY from you and not on you! Cook the chicken until the bread crumbs brown on both sides. Drain cooked chicken on paper towels before serving. You can test the chicken with an instant read thermometer to see if the chicken is done. Chicken is cooked through at 160 degrees. They cook a little more while standing too so be careful not to over cook them. You can place them in a 350 degree oven to finish cooking if your worried and even leave the paper towels underneath or you can place them in the oven to keep warm until they are all done.

Pro Tip: If you find your bread crumbs fall off the chicken, make sure your pressing those bread crumbs into the egg on the chicken during the coating process. I also “stage” newly coated chicken breasts on a separate plate because I can usually coat them in bread crumbs faster then they cook. You may want to bread the entire batch of chicken first. Then cook them afterwards so you can watch them closely and so you don’t burn them while being detracted. I add extra bread crumbs on top between the the layers so they don’t stick together on the plate before they are all cooked! Remember too that you should adjust the heat under the pan as you cook. Just like when we were making pancakes you don’t want to burn the outside of them and have raw chicken in the middle. That means the heats up too high. If they are not browning fast enough then the heat is too low and they will be greasy when done from sitting in the oil too long. Science and this cooking $%#@ isn’t always so easy.

Practice makes perfect and there are lots of recipes to come using chicken cutlets in the future! So cook and practice, cook and practice, cook and eat or drink!

For extra crispy cutlets, use a flour dredged prior to the breadcrumbs.

EXTRA CRISPY CUTLETS:

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (8 thin cutlets)

3 eggs

½ cup flavored bread crumbs

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup flour

DIRECTIONS: Slice thick chicken breasts in half so they are thin.  Pound all chicken using meat tenderizer/mallet to ½ inch thick. Beat eggs in medium size bowl.  Heat large frying pan and oil over medium high heat. Dip one chicken beast at a time into egg mixture.  Then onto a plate with the flour. Coat boat sides. Return floured chicken to egg mixture. Don’t worry as some flour will come off into the egg. Then coat with breadcrumbs by pouring ½ a cup of breadcrumbs into a clean dish.  Place chicken onto on top of bread crumbs and press firmly using fork. Flip chicken oven and press chicken into breadcrumbs. Lightly shake off excess bread crumbs. Place chicken breast in frying pan and cook until bread crumbs brown on both sides.  Drain cooked chicken on paper towels before serving.

© Russ Ahrens and The Magic of a Perfect Pairing, 2021

Blog Post

ROCKIN’ FISH REVIEW

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            On Friday night, I went to the Rockin’ Fish restaurant in Northport with eight extended family members to celebrate the life of my wonderful Brother-in-law, Tom, after his funeral earlier in the day. I found it almost ironic to be going to a funeral ON Memorial Day weekend for such a terrific, fun loving man, but alas here I am.

            We were all gathered around the table exchanging family stories when the waitress approached looking to take our drink order. It was water all around and one lager beer on tap. The beer surprisingly was not for me. I had to drive home and it was going to be a long day so I refrained from any alcohol that evening.

I think we were seated at their biggest table, so I would suggest not going there with any more than eight people, unless it’s a beautiful night to eat outside. Needless to say (but I’m still saying it), it was a rainy Friday night.

The water came to the table in chilled bottles as we all conversed. We all pondered our dinner orders comparing notes of who would order what off the menu. Debbie, my amazing sister in-law, could not decide between the fish sandwich or the “Stupid Chicken Sandwich”. No kidding, that’s what it’s called. I offered to help my sister in-law, much to my wife’s dismay, by suggesting we order both and split them between us. I was delighted when she accepted, but that meant Jennifer had to choose her own meal. Her choice was the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, sans tomato and blue cheese as she is allergic to the former and despises the taste of the latter on anything.

We all ordered our respective meals: one medium rare hamburger was the old standby for my mother in-law. Sam ordered their fabulous fish tacos, Adam the fish and chips, Adam’s friend Will’s choice was the Pasta Bolognese. Ben ordered the Pasta Bolognese as well, along with the wedge salad.

I always wondered why restaurants charge so much for wedge salads. I remember the first wedge salad I had was as a child; it was served to me in a seafood restaurant called the Schooner. The restaurant was located on the Nautical mile in Freeport, New York. This was my mom’s favorite place to eat, right until it closed in the late seventies.  I think back to those days in the seventies when the wedge salad came “free” with the meal. The Schooner’s version of the salad was a quarter head of iceberg lettuce with your choice of salad dressing. They only offered four choices and did not even have a premade vinaigrette dressing, so my brother always had to order oil and vinegar. I myself always chose the Thousand Island dressing as a kid and I loved it. To this day, I still compare EVERY Thousand Island dressing to that one. My whole point to this salad diversion is I have a wedge salad recipe slated for this book. I will be bringing it to work in the very near future so I can post here for everyone to enjoy. It also costs less than $10 to make. I should bring enough for the whole office, huh?

            Well, the weekend is over and it’s time to go back to the old grind. I would just like to close today’s post with a prayer for a truly excellent brother in-law and all those who knew him. We will all miss his laughter, sense of humor, generosity, and kindness very much.

Tom, it was a pleasure to know you, and I will think of you always with a smile on my face, as I continue to live my own life with an exuberance for gardening and things you loved that you have inspired in me.

Thank you.

            Until next time, I wish everyone to be well, healthy, and happy.

            -The Drunken Chef (Russ)

© Russ Ahrens and The Magic of a Perfect Pairing, 2021