Wednesdays Unplugged – Tetrazzini with Poached Chicken and Cauliflower

Quotecup


"The trouble with retirement is you never get a day off." ~ Abe Lemons

 

 NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged
from appointments. It's my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome
our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with
quotes from the Norwegian 'Quote Cup' passed on to me from my
grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes
some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes…and love getting
recipes you would like to share!

Jih-retire

My husband is retiring from the job where he has been for 15 years at the end of this week… so this week has been a series of mini celebrations, lunches, dinners. He is Mr. Hospitality… he will miss the hundreds of people he interacts with each week!  I have a feeling it won't be long before he finds a new 'flock' of some sort…

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

This tetrazzini recipe uses noodles and poached chicken breasts which makes its own broth, loved the tender chicken! Be sure to allow time for poaching the chicken. I liked the cauliflower in it, but everything was the same color! Our granddaughter really liked it, but I thought the flavor was a little bland. When I heated it for leftovers I added some green vegetables (fresh green beans because they were in season) and BELLAVITANO GOLD RESERVE cheese and more pepper. Next time I would add peas or broccoli from the beginning… could also use prepared bags of broccoli and cauliflower. I modified the recipe below to what I plan to do next time I make it, including adding more liquid… I ended up adding more broth because it was too dry, but then it tasted too 'brothy' so will add more milk and cream.

POACHED CHICKEN TETRAZZINI with CAULIFLOWER

  • Tetrazzini11 head cauliflower
  • 1 cup frozen peas or fresh crown broccoli
  • 12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles
  • 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 8-ounce packages fresh sliced mushrooms
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large or 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 + teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3-4 cups shredded poached chicken breasts (see recipe below)
  • 1 cup panko
  • 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Bellavitano Gold Reserve or other favorite cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil in a pot and season with salt. Add the cauliflower (and broccoli, if desired), cover and steam until just tender, 7-8 minutes. Drain and cut into florets.

Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles to just shy of al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook unter tender and browned. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine, stirring and scraping up any browned bits iwth a wooden spoon. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the cream and milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Combine to cauliflower, (peas or broccoli) noodles, chicken and sauce. Transfer to a 5-quart casserole dish.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in small pan, then drizzle over the panko in a bowl and toss to combine. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole.  Bake until hot, bubbling and golden, 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and add grated cheese to servings.

POACHED CHICKEN

  • 4 whole bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 8 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 large bay leaves
  • 4 carrots, coarsely chopped
  • 4 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
  • 2 lemons, sliced
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • Herb bundle of fresh parsley, rosemary and thyme tied with kitchen string
  • Kosher salt

Put the chicken in a very large stockpot or divide between 2 pots if necessary. Add the peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, lemons, onion and herb bundle and sprinkle with salt. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the liquid and let cool. Strain the stock. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred teh meat using your hands or two forks.

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - EmailTwin Cities Realtor Who Cooks

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I love what I do! Highly insightful, analytical and creative, there is nothing I love more than helping you find the right solution for your real estate transition. My mission is to serve my clients with honesty and integrity, exceeding their expectations in service and support… and to help others by donating a portion of every transaction to Habitat for Humanity.

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