Testing - Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sage Butter

This was very tasty, but there are two things about it that I'd like to improve:
1 - I think it would be better in skin-on boneless chicken breasts
2 - It was a tad too salty - what kind of prosciutto would be best and how much salt? Or, conversely, could I do without the prosciutto wrap and add some bacon fat in the sauce?

Part 1 - The sage butter
12 fresh sage leaves
3½ oz. butter, softened
4 tsps. wholegrain mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. For the sage butter, chop the sage leaves finely.
3. Place the butter in a bowl, add the chopped sage leaves and mustard, and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix together well.

Part 2 - The stuffed chicken
4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless (Try Skin-on/Bone-in)
8 slices prosciutto (what kind?)
1 tsp. olive oil

1. For the chicken, using a sharp knife, slice into the side of each chicken breast to form a pocket.
2. Spoon a quarter of the butter mixture into each pocket and fold to enclose. (maybe tie with kitchen twine if not using the prosciutto?) If you have any of the flavoured butter left over you can roll it into a sausage shape, freeze and use (within a month) in another dish.
3. Place two prosciutto slices on a clean board so that they overlap slightly. Wrap one of the chicken breasts in the slices and roll to enclose. Repeat with the remaining prosciutto slices and chicken breasts.
4. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. When hot, add the wrapped chicken breasts.
5. Cook over a medium heat until the prosciutto  skin? is lightly golden, about two minutes.
6. Turn the breasts over and brown the other side for another two minutes.
7. Using tongs or a fish slice, place the chicken breasts onto a baking tray and place into the preheated oven. Retain the cooking juices in the pan, as these will be used to make the sauce.
8. Cook the chicken breasts for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through (internal temperature of 160-165F or the chicken will feel firm to the touch and the juices will run clear when it's pierced in the thickest part).
9. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and put the breasts to one side to rest for ten minutes. Keep warm.

Part 3 - The sauce
1 Tbsp. bacon fat
4½fl oz. white wine
1 garlic clove
1 fresh sage leaf
salt (be careful and measure) and freshly ground black pepper

1. While the chicken is resting, make the sauce. Heat the retained cooking juices in the pan the chicken breasts were cooked in and the bacon fat, then add the white wine. Crush the garlic clove and add to the pan. Add a sage leaf.
2. Turn up the heat and cook, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for a couple minutes until the sauce is reduced. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, slice each breast into five slices on the diagonal, then pour the mustardy, buttery sauce over. Serve with mashed potato.

Cheddar and Beer Fondue - Published

jan 11 2015 - Not very successful this second time. The result was very watery, and no matter the amount of cheese added, it remained watery. I suspect two things that may have been factors - the cheddar was of inferior quality, and; the ratio of beer is incorrect. I've altered the initial quantity of beer from 12 fl oz, to 6 fl oz, with the goal of measuring how much more beer should be added to obtain the correct consistency. The flavour was good.

2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic
6 fluid oz beer (hold another 6 fl oz of beer aside to add if too thick, and record how much more is added)
8 oz cheddar
8 oz Gruyere
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch cayenne
pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

1. Rub the bottom of the cook pot with the garlic. Melt the butter in it, then add the beer and warm it up without bringing it to a boil, over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile combine the cheeses in a bowl with the flour.
3. Reduce the heat under the beer to a gentle simmer and add the cheese in handfuls, stirring constantly until all the cheese has gone in and melted
4. Stir in the spices. Transfer the fondue to a warm fondue pot.
5. If the sauce is too thick, add beer.If it's too soft, add cheese

Serving Suggestions:
         - with lightly boiled cauliflower (2-3 minutes in salted water)
and/or
         - boiled baby potatoes
and/or
         - boiled German sausage slices like wursts or franks
and/or
         - pickles, pickled onions
and/or
         - cubed bread (a Boule is particularly delicious)

Italian sausage pasta - Test 1

1- The sauce for this dish is interesting, but we both felt there was way too much bell peppers. The "original" (because I rarely follow recipes to the letter anymore) asked for a trio of different coloured sweet peppers and next time I will try just one, chopped up instead of julienned. I rarely cook with sweet peppers because generally I feel like they're just used as a filler when more veg are required.
As for the sauce, the white wine added a really interesting glossy and tasty dimension, so that was a win.
2- It looks like there is too much salt, but it really didn't taste like it did, possibly offsetting the sweetness brought about by the wine and peppers. Although, having decreased the amount of peppers, I've decreased by a half tsp the amount of salt.
The instructions were a bit more complicated than necessary. I took a page from my Italian sausage and chard soup recipe and eliminated a step, creating a lovely fond for extra flavour, I think.

3- It was very much appreciated. I now seriously doubt the egg noodles, it gives it a bit of a Hamburger Helper aura. I want to try with just spaghetti, or maybe chunky pasta. Oh, and 12oz was fine!

1 + 3 Tbsps olive oil 
4 1 lb spicy Italian sausage meat links, casings removed
1 large onion (10oz/285g) thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp salt
Sprig of thyme, leafed and minced
2 sprigs of oregano, leafed and minced
1 sprig of rosemary, leafed and minced
(try adding a bay leaf)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored and minced
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
½ cup white wine
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned, divided use
8 (trying 12oz) ounces wide egg noodles (or papardelle), dry weight

12 oz spaghetti(ni)

1. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a pan and crumble the sausage into it. When it starts to sizzle, add the onions and cook until extra moisture from the sausage has evaporated and everything starts to brown. You will already notice the bottom of your pan starting to get coated with a brown fond. Add more oil if you think it needs it.
2. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper; stir, then add the minced bell peppers. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until the peppers start to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook about a minute. Add the wine and stir to lift the fond, which should be dark brown-to-black by now. Keep cooking until the wine reduces to almost nothing. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices.
4. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes cook, then turn off the heat; to finish the sauce, drizzle in about 2-3 good tablespoons of olive oil and stir. Add the chopped parsley and half of the basil; stir, and keep warm while you prepare the noodles.
5. To serve, garnish with some of the remaining basil and some Parmesan, if desired.

Testing - Herbed Hot Pasta

Tried this once with the cherry tomatoes and although the flavours were great, we felt that the skins of the tomatoes were too tough. Then tried it with very ripe tomatoes, chopped and it turned a bit gooey - good but not stellar. Maybe I could use briefly cooked roma tomatoes so that they hold their shape?

 

1 pound uncooked pasta
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pints fresh cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) chèvre cheese, crumbled

1. Put pasta on to cook.
2. Meanwhile, sauté  the tomatoes and garlic over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chives and the thyme and sauté 1 minute more or until tomatoes are slightly charred and skins are just beginning to burst.
4. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Briefly cook over high heat, about 1 minute.
5. Drain the cooked pasta. Place in a large bowl and drizzle some more olive oil over it, then add the basil, oregano, salt and pepper; toss well to combine.
6. Add tomato mixture and parsley to pasta; this time toss gently to avoid breaking the tomatoes. Sprinkle the crumbled chèvre on top.

Poulet à la bière avec herbes de Provence - Published

This was delicious, and I've successfully reproduced it twice.

I should also document the beers I use.

1 chicken cut into pieces
2 cups stout or dark beer
3 carrots, cut into cut into chunks
2 potatoes, cut into chunks
1 white onion, cut into thick slices
2 teaspoons Herbe de Provence
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pepper
2 stems fresh thyme
2 stems fresh oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Massage the chicken pieces with olive oil and cover with herbes de Provence and salt.
2. Arrange the onions, carrots, and potatoes in a baking dish and lightly season with more herbes de Provence and salt&pepper. Place the chicken amongst the vegetables with the stems of fresh thyme and oregano tucked in between.
3. Pour in the beer - don't worry about it washing off the herbs, the olive oil should make them stick. Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 450F. 
4. Remove the lid and continue baking for 15 minutes to let the chicken brown on top.
5. The chicken will be ready when the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 165°F. You could also service with rice or quinoa pilaf.

Pasta with Hot Italian Sausage, Kale, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes - PUBLISHED

This is a good way of eating kale - the sausage has a strong enough flavor and is robust enough in texture to balance the kale.
1- We ate it with mâche and avocado salad with balsamic chocolate dressing. Ben mixed the avocado and chocolate dressing with this dish and felt it really elevated the dish. THEREFORE, this is a good dish accompanied by avocado slices drizzled with balsamic chocolate dressing.
2 - Served to Ben and Shawn, on its own, and they both felt it was a good balance of flavours and textures.

12 oz hot Italian sausage
8 oz. kale leaves, massaged and thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 T olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 cups chicken stock
1 pkg. (13.25 oz.)  Rotini pasta (or use your favorite chunky pasta)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan; squeeze sausage out of casings and crumble into the pan, cooking until the sausage is nicely browned. Turn the heat down.
2. Meanwhile, wash and massage the kale and cut into thin slices.
3. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook for about a minute, then add the kale. Cook until the kale is all wilted, stirring constantly to prevent garlic from browning.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
4. Now, start the water for the pasta and bring to a boil. The kale needs lots of time to soften while cooking. NOTE: Save 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the sausage/kale mixture, adding as much pasta cooking water as you think you need for it to be moist enough.  Add the Parmesan cheese and serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.

Italian sausage and kale gratin - PUBLISHED

A very good first attempt. Very rich, cold-weather kind of dish, with flavours strong enough to balance the coarseness of the kale. Hot or mild Italian sausage works.
2 - Still delicious. I wonder if a bit of salt would help bring out more flavour? It's already so flavourful, unctuous and sweet that you barely notice there's anything so healthy as kale in it!
3 - I don't think salt adds anything to the dish. I've rewritten parts of the recipe to make it clearer to me. Moving it to the 3rd testing stage because it was that good!

4 - Very good. Only a few specifications in terms of instructions - I made my own Italian sausage mix, and added too much lard, so I should have removed some of the fat in the pan before moving to the next step. The finished dish oozed fat! I also used 6oz of feta cheese instead since it was on hand, and it was very good.

Some olive oil
1 pound fresh mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 bunches (about 1 pound) kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces
1/2 cup + 3 Tbsps butter, melted
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
8 oz fresh goat cheese or feta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (such as a combination of parsley, oregano and basil)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large stainless steel sauté pan, heat the oil and cook the sausage, breaking it up. Cook until browned (usually when the moisture has evaporated). Remove any excess fat.
3. Add the wine scraping up the fond. Continue to cook until the wine reduces and is mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. 
4. Decrease the heat and stir in the kale, one handful at a time. Mix in the kale and cook until it begins to wilt and turn a bright green. Don't worry about overcooking the kale; it is impossible, unless you burn it! Remove from heat and set the pan aside.
5. Meanwhile, dump the bread crumbs in a medium sized bowl.
6. Melt all the butter in a saucepan. When melted, put 3 Tbsps of it into the breadcrumb bowl.
7. Into the remaining butter, whisk in the flour; continue wisking until starting to brown. Add the milk, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a sauce.
8. Add the crumbled goat cheese to the roux and continue to whisk until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
9. Pour the sauce into the sausage and kale and let sit 5 minutes to allow any more fond to lift. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to scrape up the fond and mix the sauce evenly in the sausage and kale.
10. Spoon the mixture into a shallow, 2-quart gratin dish.
11. To the breadcrumb and butter, add parmesan and minced fresh herbs. Mix thoroughly, then evenly distribute over the kale and sausage to form the topping.
12. Bake the gratin until the topping is golden-brown and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes (briefly broil at this point if not browned enough).

• Cool slightly before serving with crusty bread if eating as a main dish.