When I was in Portland, OR last month visiting family, we were able to try a restaurant that has been on my list for a long time - Mother's. The love project of chef Linda Schroeder, Mother's is all about the beauty in comfort, from the vintage textiles to the sparkling case of baked goods in the front, to the home-style dishes served up to the crowds. There are staples such as Chicken Liver, Matzoh Ball Soup, Meatloaf, and Chicken and Dumplings, as well as monthly specials featuring a M.O.M., or mother of the month.
Of course I was thrilled when I learned that there was a cookbook available, and even more thrilled when Linda came to our table in her orange chef's jacket to sign our copies. How often does that happen? Not only that, but she stayed for at least 20 minutes, chatting with us about France, South Africa, the Midwest, traditional Jewish food, Culinary School, being a mother, and being a grandmother (especially significant because my own mother had just become one). In my book, she wrote "To Liz, From one cook to another, XO, Linda". What a charming woman, so full of life and passion - she was truly an inspiration.
The book is full of motherly advice, which is so helpful when making classic recipes or simply learning to cook. She calls them "love notes", such as putting bacon in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before chopping, which are things that make sense but that the average home cook might not think of.
Today I decided to make Parisian Chicken for my friend Andrea, and it was a very tasty and simple recipe, using ingredients that are normally on hand. It requires a some basic technique and preparation, but nothing that couldn't be handled on a weekday night - it's the kind of recipe that you make once, and then you can make it again from memory. I roasted some red fingerling potatoes while I was cooking the chicken, and made a simple mixed greens salad, and we had a home-cooked meal on our plates in very little time.
The dredging of the chicken pieces is in the opposite order from what I am used to - usually you do egg mixture followed by flour, but doing it this way means you use far less flour and the egg on the outside creates a lovely crispy crust. I had to cook the chicken much longer than the recipe called for (probably because I didn't split it so it was a little bit thicker than it should have been), so just eyeball yours and check for doneness during the process. I didn't have clarified butter, so I used 1 T. vegetable oil and 1 T. unsalted butter instead.
Parisian Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/4 t. kosher salt (divided)
- 3/4 t. freshly ground black pepper (divided)
- 2 T. whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 C. all purpose flour
- 2 T. clarified butter or vegetable oil
- 1/2 C. white vermouth
- 2 T. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 T. chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
Lay the cutlets on a rimmed baking sheet and season each on one side with 1/4 t. salt and a pinch black pepper.
In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Place the flour in a plate or shallow dish. Set these near the stove.
Place a large (12 to 14 in) saute pan over medium high heat. When hot, add the clarified butter. Used one hand to dip one cutlet in the four, dredging int on both sides, and then in the egg mixture. Use the other hand to immediately add it to the pan. Repeat until you have a single layer of chicken.
Cook until lightly golden on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over, lower the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the other side is golden and the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the cutlets to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Return the pan to high heat. Add the vermouth and lemon juice to the saute pan (to deglaze), stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Season with 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. REduce by half, remove from the heat, and wisk in the butter pieces. Add the parsley.
To serve, place the chicken on individual serving plates and pour the sauce over the chicken.
