Menu ideas and recipes for chicken, mushrooms, greens, cabbage, cauliflower, speckled sea trout, and striped bass
Chicken Marsala and mushroom casserole
Last Sunday, I made a chicken Marsala and mushroom casserole, a recipe that’s evolved over the years.
- 8 ounces (or more) elbow macaroni (regular or wheat)
- 3 tablespoons butter and/or olive oil
- 1 to 1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 2 slices pancetta (or bacon), chopped
- 14 ounces sliced mushrooms (I like a mix of cremini and shiitake)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary and/or thyme, chopped fine
- 3tablespoons flour
- 3/4 cupMarsala wine
- 1/2cup heavy cream
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Parsley
Start pasta. Cook per box instructions. Drain. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until just melted. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt. Cook until browned and almost cooked through. Remove.
Add the pancetta/bacon, cook until most of the fat is rendered, so it’s not looking so raw. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, rosemary or thyme, and salt, cook one minute.
Stir in the flour, cook for a few minutes. Stir in the Marsala and cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Taste for salt.
Stir in pasta and chicken. Pour everything into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, 20 minutes, maybe more. Remove the foil, sprinkle the parmesan on top and bake for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
On the side, we had a kale and red cabbage sauté with red onion, orange bell pepper, green onions, habanero pepper, and dried cranberries. I also made a sheet pan of roasted cauliflower with garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, fresh oregano, and parmesan.
Two recipe ideas for fish
I prepared one of our favorite fish, speckled sea trout, with a white wine, tomato, and basil pesto sauce. On the side, a mix of sautéed greens (chard, radish, arugula, and spinach) with orange bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and slow-roasted tomatoes.
The next night, we enjoyed sweet and spicy citrus striped bass with leftover greens and roasted sweet potatoes. “Spicy” is a misnomer. Next time, I’ll increase the heat.
I hope you have time (and cooperating weather) to go outside and enjoy the blooming beauty of spring!
Creative Commons licensed photo by monika1607 via Pixabay
Grabbing the Gusto 