Chicken Patties with Yogurt Sauce

This recipe just made it into my regular go to recipes for weekly meals. It’s easy, tasty and kids like it. The bonus part is that they are high in protein and healthy, see? we’re keeping our promise to include healthier meals for you at The Foodies’ Kitchen.

You’ll notice that the recipe calls for some oil to cover the chicken patties once they are formed. Don’t skip this! Chicken meat doesn’t have as much fat as other meats, so it can get too dry if you don’t use the oil. Also, broiling them in the oven is the best method to get a moist patty.

As for the yogurt sauce, it is optional… but I do recommend it. It’s so fresh! Try it, you’ll like it. I know I’ll be using this recipe a lot in the coming weeks, the last couple of days have been so hot in Guatemala! When it’s 34 degrees outside you feel like eating lighter, so maybe I’ll finally want to start eating some fruit… Hello Summer!

Helga

Chicken Patties with Yogurt Sauce

Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound ground dark-meat chicken
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and cucumbers, for serving
Yogurt sauce (optional, below), for serving

For the Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Procedure:

Heat broiler, with rack in highest position.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, egg whites, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and spices and mix until well blended. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Divide chicken mixture into 8 portions (about 2 1/2 to 3 ounces each) and place on sheet. Shape each into an oval patty and use your hand to flatten slightly. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over patties.
Broil until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes more. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and Yogurt Sauce, if desired,

Procedure for Yogurt Sauce:

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, onion, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, up to 1 hour, to allow flavors to come together.

Note:

You can serve these patties in pita pockets together with the yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
As an additional ingredient, you can add about 2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves to the yogurt sauce.

Filet Mignon with Hollandaise Sauce & Bacon Potatoes

I don’t think I need to say much to get you to try this recipe, filet mignon speaks for itself. This cut of beef is taken from the smaller end of the tenerloin (called the short loin), and it has a tender, melt in your mouth texture. As if this weren’t tasty enough, I went ahead and made hollandaise sauce for it and paired it with potatoes…and bacon. I know, it’s too much… But this is a special occasion meal. Skip the sauce if you’re watching your diet, and pair your beef with some salad instead!

Back to the Hollandaise sauce, this time I made the easy blender version. I found the recipe on The Joy of Cooking, and I don’t think I’ll make it the old fashioned way again! (although my arm could use the workout)

Here are a few tips to guarantee success when cooking this delicious cut of beef:

When selecting tenderloin or filet mignon slices, choose the lighter colored ones over dark red. This indicates more marbling which makes it more tender.
This cut is so tender that it should never be cooked beyond a medium-rare stage. The longer you cook it, the less tender and more dry it becomes.
Use a dry, high heat method such as broiling, roasting, pan-frying or grilling for this tender cut.
Whole tenderloin is wonderful to stuff or bake en croute (in savory pastry).
Cutting into the meat to check doneness lets precious juice escape. Use the touch or finger test method. Press the meat. If it feels soft and mushy and leaves an imprint, it is rare. If it is soft, but slightly resilient, it is medium-rare. The minute it begins to feel firm, it is overdone.
Since the beef tenderloin has no surrounding fat tissue, it is often wrapped in a layer of fat (called barding) such as suet or bacon to keep it from drying out. Likewise with filet slices. The barding also adds flavor.
Cubed tenderloin is a popular choice for fondue hot-pots and shish-kebabs.
To ensure even cooking when roasting the whole tenderloin, the small end should be tucked up and tied or trimmed for other use.

Tips from http://homecooking.about.com

Helga

Filet Mignon with Hollandaise Sauce

For the Beef:
Procedure adapted from Simply Recipes
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
2-4 filet mignon steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick*
Salt
Canola oil
Black pepper to taste
( I used a peppercorn blend)

Procedure:

Allow the steaks to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the steaks. Just before getting ready to cook, pat the meat dry with paper towels, then coat with the canola or grape seed oil. Salt well, and add pepper to taste. I used a peppercorn blend that includes black peppercorns, grains of paradise, pink peppercorns and cubed pepper. (You can find something similar at your local gourmet store).
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron pan on high heat for 1 minute. Swirl to coat the pan. Put the steaks in the hot pan and immediately turn the heat down to medium to medium high (depending on your stove top, medium on a high BTU gas range is about medium high on most electric ranges). Sear untouched for at least 3 minutes
Flip the steaks and cook for another 2-5 minutes, depending on how thick the steak is and how rare or well done you like your meat. You can use the finger test (see tips above) to test the doneness of your steak. Or you can use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the steak (120°F to 125°F for rare, 130°F to 135°F for medium rare, 140°F to 145°F for medium). Remove from the pan, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest while you make the sauce.

Blender Hollandaise Sauce

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking
Yields 1 cup

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter

Procedure:

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, cayenne and salt in a blender; heat butter until bubbling but do not brown.
Cover blender container and turn on motor to high; blend for 3 seconds; with motor running, remove lid, and add butter slowly, in a steady stream, taking 30 seconds to pour the butter in.
Serve immediately or keep sauce warm by placing blender container in warm water.
Serve fillet mignon and spoon some of the sauce over it.

Potatoes with Bacon

A The Foodies’ Kitchen Original Recipe
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 lbs small potatoes (unpeeled)
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
4 strips of bacon, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Procedure:

Bring water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a big enough pot to cook your potatoes. Add potatoes and let them cook until tender, for about 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the diced bacon and cook until it is crisp. Remove bacon, and set aside.
Using the fat from the bacon, add the onion and garlic and sautee until cooked through and it starts to brown slightly. Add another tablespoon of olive oil. Let it heat for a minute, and add your cooked potatoes.
Move them around the skillet until the skin starts to brown.
Add the bacon, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve

09:44 AM
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- Bacon, Beef, blender, filet mignon, hollandaise sauce, potatoes, tenderloin
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Chicken Mozzarella Rolls

During the week, we’re all in a hurry, at home we prefer to eat healthier no fuss meals like a chicken salad. But sometimes, you just need a little comfort, which usually means you want to eat something filling, cheesy and delicious. This recipe for chicken mozzarella rolls is great tasting, easy to do, and you don’t sacrifice the healthy aspect all that much. It’s all baked, no fried stuff.

The combination of bread crumbs, cheese, and tomato sauce will surely satisfy your taste buds! I recommend you pair this with mashed potatoes and a side of green vegetables. You can use Italian style tomato sauce, or whip up your own chunky tomato sauce by simply dicing and sauteing tomatoes, garlic, onions, and basil (seasoned with salt and pepper).

Chicken Mozzarella Rolls

Ingredients:
Serves 4
Adapted from www.recipe.com Chicken Kiev

2 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese (sliced, or shredded about 1 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs ( I used herbed bread crumbs)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and black pepper

Italian style tomato sauce, for serving.

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl combine green onion, basil, and garlic; set aside. Cut cheese into sticks (if using shredded cheese, just set aside). In a shallow bowl stir together egg and water. Place flour in another shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl. Set aside.

2. Place a chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet pound chicken lightly into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the green onion mixture. Place cheese in center of chicken piece. Fold in sides; roll up. Repeat with remaining chicken.

3. Coat chicken rolls with flour. Dip in egg mixture; coat with bread crumbs. Dip in egg mixture again; coat with with additional bread crumbs. (Coat ends well to seal in the butter.) Place coated chicken in 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Cover and chill for 1 to 24 hours.

4. Place rolls in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree F oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F). Spoon any drippings over rolls. Serve with italian style tomato sauce