Blasts from the past

Sometimes nostalgia takes over and we start to crave the dishes of our childhood. Time to dust off Mom’s old recipes and pass them on to a new generation. What you just might discover is that they are still as good—or even better—than you remember!

CHICKEN KIEV

SERVES 4

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch, cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cups heavy cream

1½ cups bread crumbs

Vegetable oil, for frying

Combine butter, parsley, chives, tarragon, thyme, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl (or in bowl of stand mixer). Place on a piece of parchment or wax paper and roll into a small log. Refrigerate until firm; or freeze if not using immediately. When firm, cut into 8 slices and keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.

Using a paring knife, cut a small pocket into the flesh of each chicken breast, being careful not to penetrate the sides of the meat. Insert a piece/slice of herbed butter into the pocket and, using your fingers, press cut flesh together to seal. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.

Using three shallow dishes (like pie pans), place flour, cream and bread crumbs in one of each. Dip the chicken breasts in the flour, followed by cream and end by thoroughly coating with bread crumbs. Place on a rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate for another two hours.

When ready to cook, remove chicken breasts from refrigerator and preheat oven to 350 F. In a skillet or saucepan, over medium-high heat, heat ¼-inch oil to 350 F. 

Place breasts into pan, sealed side down and brown; turn and brown other side. Transfer to a baking pan and bake in preheated oven for 18–20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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Beef Burgundy

SERVES 6–8

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces thick-cut bacon slices, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 pounds chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch chunks 

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound carrots, sliced into thick chunks, or baby carrots

2 yellow onions, chopped or sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 750 ml bottle dry red wine*

2 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1½ teaspoons fresh)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1 10-ounce bag frozen pearl onions

Thyme, for garnish

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a platter. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear in the same pan until brown on all sides, about 3–5 minutes. Remove to same platter as bacon. Repeat until all beef is seared.

Into the same pan, add carrots and yellow onions and cook for 10–15 minutes until onions are lightly brown. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Return beef and bacon back to the pan, along with any juices that may have accumulated on the platter. Add the wine and beef broth, enough to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme and stir well. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and place in preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are fork-tender.

While meat is in oven, combine 2 tablespoons of butter with flour; roll into 3–4 small balls and set aside. When stew comes out of the oven, stir in butter-flour balls, one at a time, to thicken the stew. In a saute pan, over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter and saute mushrooms until brown, about 10 minutes. Stir into stew along with frozen onions. On top of the stove, over medium heat, bring stew to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes. Garnish with additional fresh thyme.

*If you do not want to use wine in this dish, substitute with additional beef broth instead.

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Chicken tetrazzini

Chicken tetrazzini

SERVES 6–8

Chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

12-ounce box fettucine or linguine pasta, cooked

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (or store-bought rotisserie chicken)

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced or chopped

Sauce

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock

1½ cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt

White pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or white cheddar

Topping

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

½ cup Italian breadcrumbs     

Parsley, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute the mushrooms 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a bowl.

In another clean, large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add flour and whisk constantly until mixture takes on the consistency of wet sand. Gradually pour in the stock while continuing to whisk; then gradually whisk in the cream and lemon juice. Lower heat slightly and continue whisking until sauce is thickened, about 3–4 minutes. (If sauce is too thick, add additional stock.) Remove pan from heat and stir in salt and pepper to taste. Add cheese and stir until it is melted. Fold in the pasta, chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes and thoroughly combine. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and combine with Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake in preheated oven for 30–35 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and breadcrumbs are brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

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Easiest-ever baked Alaska

SERVES 8

1 9-inch round or 8-inch square cake layer, homemade or store-bought

1 quart ice cream, your favorite flavor, softened

4 large egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon vanilla, optional

Pinch salt

2/3 cup fine sugar

Place cake layer in a straight-sided glass dish. Using a spatula, spread softened ice cream over cake layer, to within ½-inch of the sides. Place in freezer until ice cream is completely hardened, 2–3 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, add egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla and salt. Starting on “low” and increasing speed gradually—ending on the highest speed—beat egg whites until they become frothy. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until it forms stiff peaks. You will know it’s ready when meringue can be scooped up with the whisk attachment.

Preheat oven to 500 F. Remove cake from freezer and, working quickly, spread meringue all over ice cream, sealing the ½-inch gap around the sides. Place cake in oven and bake until the meringue peaks are brown, 3–4 minutes. Watch very closely as it will burn very easily. Serve immediately or return to freezer until ready to serve. If frozen, let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving. Return leftovers to freezer.

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Pigs in a blanket–This classic party food is still just as delicious as you remember, and oh-so-easy to make. Surprise your guests with this blast from the past by following Chef Belinda’s latest video recipe.

Whipping up dessert–A fluffy meringue topping is the perfect way to finish your baked Alaska. Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan shows you how it’s done in this how-to video.

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BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN is a chef and food writer who lives in Trenton, where she is a member of Aiken Electric Cooperative. She has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and is certified in wine studies from the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, Calif. Her articles have been published in several regional magazines and in her blog, “The Flying Foodie.”