Classic Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan with 2008 Salmon Run Chardonnay Riesling: 5/5

2008 Salmon Run Chardonnay Riesling: 89/100

Growing up, my family ate a lot of chicken—grilled chicken breasts, creamed chicken and biscuits, chicken parmesan, roasted chicken, the list goes on. By the time I was twelve my dad was not shy about letting my mom know his feelings about having “chicken again”. With my dad apparently out of the house this past Tuesday, my mom adamantly claimed to me on the phone, “I’m making chicken parmesan.” Personally, I love chicken. You can grill it, fry it, boil it, bake it, mince it, shred it, even can it, and it will still taste good. So it was only natural that I would make chicken parmesan for Project Runway night.

Now, how many times have you gotten off of work, tired and hungry, and grabbed a jar of Prego or Ragu, and boiled some pasta to make pasta marinara? Up until last night, I thought making pasta sauce was some sort of full day event. Thoughts of old Italian women dressed in floor length dresses with flowing blouses, standing over huge pots, stirring all day, creating the perfect sauce. Well that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it always struck me as something hard. It’s not. Here is a recipe for a fail safe marinara sauce: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Marinara-Sauce-Yet/Detail.aspx If you like your sauce a little chunky, don’t purée everything together. To mine I added a chopped hot house tomato to the mix, adding some freshness and texture. You don’t have to use fresh parsley, but the flavor will be a bit more vibrant if you do. I’m telling you, you can make this sauce in the time it takes your water to boil and your pasta to cook.

Just like frying some bacon, pan fried chicken parmesan can get a little messy, but it’s well worth it. You can do a baked version if you don’t want to splatter oil all over your stove, but personally, I think pan fried takes on an extra crispiness that the oven just doesn’t provide. Start by slicing 2-3 boneless chicken breasts in half. If you’d like, you can flatten the halved chicken breasts by pounding, but it’s not necessary. Coat the halved chicken breasts with flour, then dip them into a bowl with 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of milk that has been whisked together. After the egg bath, dip them into a bowl of panko (or bread crumbs), dried basil, dried parsley, salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup of grated parmesan. Heat an oil coated skillet over a medium-high flame, and fry the chicken breasts until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes.

With the entire kitchen smelling of frying chicken, and simmering marinara, I waited for the chicken to finish, and then it was time to eat. Preparing everything took under an hour, not to bad for restaurant quality chicken parmesan. Topping Michael and I’s meal with some freshly grated parmesan, and slicing some fresh wheat baguette, we both sat with a sigh of relief for some relaxation.

As far as wine goes, chicken parmesan is one of those chameleon meals. Usually with a red sauce you would want to pair it with a red wine. But if it were just chicken, you would want white. It really depends on your mood. A Pinot Noir would bring out the vibrancy of the garlic and sweetness of the tomatoes in the sauce, while a chardonnay would add a crispness and bright quality to the meal. I just happened to still have a bottle of 2008 Salmon Run Chardonnay Riesling in the fridge, so I decided that would work just fine.

With a golden hue, and a vibrant aroma of delicate apple blossoms and pear, I swirled the Chardonnay Riesling, anticipating another great wine. Resting on my palate with a fruity flavor, and semi-sweetness from the Riesling, the wine left a lingering mineral finish, indicative of the Dr. Frank’s winery. Structured with the body of a Chardonnay I knew the wine would be able to stand up to the red sauce, and bring out the flavors of the chicken.

Piercing the crispy golden exterior of my chicken breast, I wasted no time scooping up some pasta and sauce, creating the perfect first bite. With the crunch from the panko, the sweetness of the tomatoes, and the bite from the parmesan, I was transported to that authentic italian restaurant my family used to frequent growing up in Rockford— the smell of garlic and wine lingering in the air, and the taste of marinara in my mouth.

Following the first bite with another drink of wine, the tomatoes took on an extra sweetness, while my palate was cleansed with the minerality in the wine. The fruitiness in the Chardonnay Riesling was not too sweet, nor the chicken to fatty, so both flavor profiles intertwined in my mouth creating a delicate dance.

Sopping up the rest of my sauce with my baguette, I was left with a pristinely clean plate. Finishing just in time for my phone to buzz with a text from Zack, I went back to the kitchen to fry up some fresh chicken. Zack was entertaining two visitors from France, and I thought it would be great to provide a home-cooked meal for two travelers. Both were surprised, and ecstatic about the meal, and I tried to stay humble about my excitement.

Unfortunately there was no new project runway yesterday, but with the French visitors, we decided that Julie and Julia would be a fitting movie to watch. Another Perfect Pair.

Turned Up Tomato Soup

Chipotle Tomato Soup and 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 5/5

2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 90/100

Spoiled this Christmas, my good friend Rocio got to spend the holidays in Mexico, but now that she is back to sub zero Chicago, I thought soup was in order when she invited me over last night. Now some of you may read this, go to the cupboard, and grab a can of Campbell’s, but hear me out.

Growing up I was probably no different from you, when my family was looking for a heartwarming meal on a cold afternoon, a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle or tomato soup fit the bill. When my mom did make soup from scratch it was usually potato, split pea, or chili, but never tomato. So until yesterday, I thought tomato soup must have been a challenge to make.

So with the idea in mind, I hit the cook books, found the soup section in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, and thumbed through to tomato soup. (This recipe is very similar: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tomato-soup/detail.aspx) There, to my surprise, was a recipe involving two steps. Two steps? But two steps isn’t hard, there are more steps in frying an egg. The recipe only required 30 minutes, and Bittman even suggested using canned tomatoes unless tomatoes were in season, so the only chopping required was for carrots and onions.

Now since Rocio had some left over authentic tacos she was planning on preparing, I wanted to add a little something to the soup to compliment the authentic mexican flavors. The answer? Chipotle. No, not the McDonald’s owned burrito chain, the pepper. For those of you unfamiliar with chipotle, it’s a smoked jalapeno that provides an excellent slow growing, smoky heat.

The reason I want you to contemplate Campbell’s the next time you go for something quick, is the fact that you could have fresh tomato soup in practically the same time, with a fraction of the salt and twice the flavor. After the onions, carrots, and tomatoes finished sauteing in a skillet I transfered everything to the crock pot for portability, added the vegetable stock, and pureed with my hand held blender. Now you can use a regular blender if you don’t have a hand held, or you can leave it chunky, but if we are talking traditional, pureed is the way to go. That’s it, really, and if you make a large enough batch you can put some in the freezer for the next cold week.

To add a bit of texture, I whipped up some croutons out of the leftover garlic bread from Michael’s spaghetti last week, yet another simple thing to do. Heat the oven to 450, cut the bread into cubes, lay them on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown, rotating once while cooking.

Thinking that the Crock pot would be a perfect way to transport the soup to Rocio’s, I packed myself up, and set out for the train. About 4 block from my house the crock pot, full of sloshing soup, started getting heavy. I could have taken a cab, but didn’t grab cash, so I clenched my biceps and trudged on. When I made it to the train, about 8 block later, my arms were screaming, but the soup was secure.

To stick with my south of the border theme, I decided to pair my spicy tomato soup with a $10 bottle of 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec from San Juan, Argentina. Malbec, Argentina’s signature wine, is known for it’s plum and berry characteristics, medium body, and earthy tannins. Having an alcohol content of 13.5% the nice medium body of the 25 Lagunas would not over power the soup, while the ripe fruit flavors would bring a complexity to the tomato and stand up to the chipotle.

Making my way to Rocio’s apartment, I felt my arms turn to jello and my fingers start to shake. With her apartment in sight, I took one last deep breath and completed my journey without dropping a teaspoon. Inside her studio apartment, the pale gray walls buzzed with friendship. Zack, having visited Argentina this past year, was excited after discovering the Malbec.

Needing a moment to breath, the Malbec sent a very alcoholic blackberry scent into my nostrils, only to be replaced by a warm inviting nose of ripe plum and berries. As Shelbey assembled bowls of soup in the kitchen, I topped each with croutons, and passed them along to the gang of hungry masses scrounging for places to sit in the living/bedroom. As we settled on the bed, futon, floor and chairs, I gave my soup a stir, and my wine a swirl and I was ready to dig in.

With a bright acidity and a much needed crunch from the croutons, my throat was filled with a warm stream of tomato-y goodness. Slowly growing spicier by the bite, the chipotle accented the authenticity of the tacos, like a grilled cheese does with classic tomato soup.

With some pretty noticeable legs, the wine lay heavy on my palate, coating it in rich fruit flavors with an earthy undertone. Lingering in my mouth, the tannins left me with the remnants of earthy tannins—truly a wine you could loose your nose in.

Combating the smokey heat, the Malbec was able to stand up to the chipotle without overpowering the flavor of the soup. While cutting through the acidity, the wine’s presence was made known, but let the rich tomato and herb flavors of the soup shine through. Where the soup may have grown monotonous after a bowl, the wine brought out the depth and complexity of the ingredients.

As we sat, occupying every where except the bathroom, everyone talked and laughed, sharing each others company in the tight living quarters. Even without a dining table, good food is able to unify old friends and mere acquaintances. With the lingering flavors of chipotle and dark fruit, I smiled, reflecting on another perfect pair.