I tried this recipe for Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola the other night. It’s from a Fine Cooking article called Chicken in a Flash. I loved the combination of flavors: the earthy mushrooms, dry Marsala and tangy Gorgonzola. Cutting the chicken into smaller pieces made the chicken cook quicker but I’m not sure how much time it saved in the long run since you have to brown several batches of the chicken pieces. Next time I’ll probably try it with whole chicken breasts instead of cutting them into pieces. The recipe doesn’t make a ton of sauce so you might want to double the sauce if you like lots of it. I served the finished dish over penne pasta. Yumm! Note that the recipe calls for dry Marsala not the sweet kind.

Chicken with Marsala, Mushrooms & Gorgonzola
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Serve with pasta. Serves two to three. 

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz. cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 2-1/4 cups)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry Marsala
1/3 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola (1/3 cup)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Trim the chicken, removing the tenders, and slice on an angle into 3/4-inch-thick pieces; season generously with salt and pepper.

In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add half of the chicken and cook, flipping once, until lightly browned and just barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened and well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the Marsala and scrape the pan with the spoon to loosen any browned bits; simmer until the Marsala is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add two-thirds of the Gorgonzola and stir until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste the sauce; add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chicken along with any accumulated juices and turn to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the remaining cheese and the parsley.

Tags: Chicken, gorgonzola, Marsala, Pasta

Husband will eat salad but it’s never something he gets too jazzed about. He likes veggies, he knows they’re good for him, but I’ve never known him to crave a salad (or at least he’s never admitted to it). He was quite intrigued, however, when I told him one night that we’re were having Steak Salad for dinner using a leftover piece of steak from the previous night’s meal. Steak two nights in a row…you should’ve seen the look of delight on his face!! This recipe was a cinch to throw together and it tasted great. The dressing is a basic vinaigrette, which is fine on its own but could easily be jazzed up with a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard and some fresh herbs. I really liked the mixture of salad ingredients: tender steak, tangy blue cheese, red onions, vine-ripened tomatoes, mixed baby greens…how could you possible go wrong with that combo? For the greens, I just used what I had in the fridge (baby greens and a romaine/iceberg salad mix). The substituted greens were fine and it saved me a trip to the store. Add a loaf of crusty bread and you’ve got a delicious light meal!

Steak Salad
-Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis - foodnetwork.com
4 servings 

1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large head Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
3 cups fresh baby arugula
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon), pan-fried or grilled and chilled
 
In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, red onion, baby arugula and cherry tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on a platter.

Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices. Arrange the steak slices atop the salad and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the steak slices and serve.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Yield: 1 2/3 cups

Tags: gorgonzola, Salad, steak, vinaigrette