The Traveling Epicurean

Sautéed Chicken Breasts and Spinach

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Ingredients:

  • 4 med. size chicken breast ( washed and pat dry with paper towel)
  • Olive oil and S & P
  • 8 oz. pre-washed fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup white wine (optional- delicious for another layer of flavor)

Directions:

Chicken: 

  1. Pre-heat to 375º.
  2. Heat pan to med/high heat and add 3 tbsp olive oil.  
  3. After a few minutes when pan is hot add chicken and saute for 5 minutes til golden and flip.  
  4. Continue to cook for another 8 minutes til golden in color.  
  5. Depending how thick your chicken breast are you can either flip again for an additional 2-3 minutes or place into the oven for approx. 8 minutes.  
  6. OR if u have the white wine on hand flip chicken back over for the last 2-3 min. and pour in 1/2 cup of white wine and cover immediately.  
  7. Let steam for 3 minutes then remove cover to let wine evaporate for the next 3-4 min.  
  8. This addition of wine gives you another layer of amazing flavor and you won’t need to put it into the oven again just cover with foil for a few minutes til you are ready to slice and plate.

Spinach:  Place fresh spinach into med. size pan with 2 tbsp water put on med heat and cover for a few minutes.  You’ ll start to hear the steam, lift off the top and begin to toss around with tongs or a fork for approx 1 min. til slightly wilted and remove from heat.  Put into ice bath to shock spinach (or briefly run cold water on it) It helps to keep vibrant green color til you are ready to plate dishes.  Gently squeeze out water and place on paper towel on a dish til u need to plate the dinner.  The easiest way to re-heat spinach is put it in a small pan with 1 tbsp of butter on top and warm thru just for 2-3 minute, add salt & pepper (or put into microwave very briefly ….don’t need to cook it ….heating thru only).  Then place small mound in the middle of the plate and place sliced up chicken right on top.  Drizzle my Green Goddess Sauce recipe around chicken on plate and mangia!

The Best Burger of Your Life

The Best Burger of Your Life

Yes, I have eaten many great burgers in my life time, from The Grand Cafe in San Francisco to Louis Burgers in New Haven, which are both outstanding by the way, but I have to say this grassfed burger just melted in my mouth ….it was the best I have ever had! Right here in our own backyard of Clinton, CT we have Chamard Vineyards featuring their “New York Times Famous Four Mile River Farm Burger”.

It’s uncanny the feeling you have when you turn into the entrance of the vineyard.  Coming down the long drive, seeing the vines, the gorgeous rustic building, and the picturesque waterfall really give you that feeling of being in Sonoma.  Chamard also features musicians and other great events as you will see when you visit their site and Thursday is their $15 Grass-fed Four Mile River Burger night including Pommes Frites and a glass of wine….how awesome is that!  When I had lunch there they served my juicy burger with Pommes Frites and a remoulade sauce that complimented it nicely.  Over the years I have developed my own recipes for Pommes Frites or Baked Yukon Potato Fries and Greek Yogurt Remoulade Sauce…. just scrumptious and you would never know the fries weren’t deep fried or the remoulade not mayo based!  Even delicious re-heated the following morning with eggs. Then you can follow up and make my easy chocolate-avocado mousse for desert.

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