I finally found a Marsala recipe I love! And would'nt you know it's by Giada DE Laurentiis. Again.
I love chicken marsala, but have had a hard time finding a recipe that lives up to my expectations.
I happened to be thumbing through my Everyday Italian cookbook and saw a recipe for Veal Marsala that I never noticed before. I thought, hmmm, maybe I could substitute with chicken. I had chicken breasts and portobello mushrooms in the fridge. So I did change the recipe, but it turned out great anyway!
Since the recipe called for veal, I pounded the chicken fairly thin and then followed the recipe. If I had to do it again however, I would lightly flour the chicken breasts before cooking, because they came out a little tough. The sauce is what really made this dish.
Veal Marsala (or Chicken Marsala in my case)
8 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each) (or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded thin)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced (I used portobello)
1/2 cup sweet Marsala (I used dry)
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
Leaves from 1 fresh rosemary sprig
Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 veal cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter and oil, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Set the cutlets aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary leaves. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the veal to the skillet. Pour in all of the pan juices. Cook just until heated through, turning to coat, about 1 minute. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using tongs, transfer the veal to plates. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.
What are your favorite mushrooms?
6 comments:
ya know I don't think I have met a mushroom I don't like.
I agree how many of giada's recipes I tend to gravitate toward.
I love Chicken Marsala. The recipe I used, from The New Best Recipe, was great but it was too complicated. I have to experiment with some other recipes.
I like all mushrooms.I admit, plain old button mushrooms are my favorite.
the ones that cause hallucinations
can you leave me your email so I can give you the vegan cookie recipe? thanks, randi
I got a recipe for chicken marsala on the Food Network web page. I've used it and it is pretty darn good:
Chicken Marsala Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
3/4 cup Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish
In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
How much marsala in the above recipe? I worked in the a wine store a few years back. Customers always came in looking for a cheap marsala to cook with. I told them that using a cheap marsala would ruin the dish. Often, these same customers would return looking for better marsala. In addittion to taste there is another reason to spend some more on a bottle. Cheap marsalas are often primarily alcohol and little else. They quickly reduce down leaving little liquid or flavor. A nicer marsala will give you a better 'syrup' texture and will require less initial liquid. Ultimately in the long run you will spend the same amount no matter what.
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