Sauteed Chicken and Sausage with Savory Pan Sauce

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 Ingredients:
1 skinless boneless chicken breast
1 link Italian sausage
1 garlic clove , minced
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch on the diagonal
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup rich chicken broth
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Trim chicken breasts, remove and discard all fat and gristle. Cut chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Pound chicken breasts to about 1/3-inch thick. Season with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour. Set aside.

Place skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until done. Remove from heat and thin slice. Set aside.

Place skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and, when hot, add zucchini. Sauté zucchini 3 minutes, or until nicely browned, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper; remove with slotted spoon, and reserve.

Add butter and crushed red pepper to skillet. When fat is hot, add chicken slices and sauté them over high heat 2 to 3 minutes, until browned. Remove and set aside.  Add wine to skillet, bring to a boil, stir, and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add garlic and broth cook down until slightly thickened.  Add Beurre manié if necessary to thicken.  Add chicken, sausage slices and zucchini. Toss and simmer over low heat 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with saffron rice.

Shrimp Stir-Fry

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Ingredients:
3/4 lb. raw shrimp, peeled, deveined
Kosher salt
4 oz. sugar snap peas, stringed
4 oz. broccoli spears
1 red bell pepper, peeled and cut into strips
1 green onion, chopped, white and green parts separated

  or 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sugar
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Preparation:
Put shrimp in medium bowl with 2 cups cold water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Stir to combine and let sit for 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse the shrimp and place on paper towel-lined plate.  Pat dry.

Combine chicken stock, wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper in medium bowl.  Stir until the cornstarch is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth.

Heat wok over high heat for 2 minutes.  Add oil to wok and swirl to coat.  Carefully add the shrimp in a single layer.  Allow to cook for 2 minutes, using a spatula to stir-fry them.  Add garlic, ginger and whites of onion and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add sugar snap peas, broccoli and red bell pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add the cornstarch mixture and greens of onion and cook until the sauce has thickened.  Transfer stir-fry to a dish and serve with white rice.

Variation:

Eliminate the shrimp and just make stir fried vegetables.

Lemon Butter Sauce

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Ingredients:

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and white pepper

Preparation:

In medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Reduce heat and add 3 tablespoons butter at a time whisking until it is completely melted. Do this until all the butter is incorporated. Once all butter is incorporated, season with salt and pepper.

Lemon butter sauce is great on fish.

Turkey Gravy (Make Ahead)

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Ingredients:
3 oz. unsalted butter
1 large red onion, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
6 Tbs. all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbs. Cognac
10 large sage leaves
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt & pepper
1 cup dry white wine.

Preparation:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic and sauté, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion becomes browned and starts to caramelize.  Sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes.  Stir in the chicken stock, Cognac, sage leaves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour then strain, pressing the solids lightly and then discarding them.  Refrigerate until ready to use.   The gravy base can be refrigerated up to a week or frozen for up to three months.

After turkey is cooked, remove it to a carving board to rest.  Place roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the wine.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up all the bits clinging to the pan.  Slowly whisk in the gravy base.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the gravy is smooth and slightly thickened.  Adjust seasonings.

History:
Recipe comes from Ina Garten.