Tag: chicken Marsala

Smoked Turkey & Spring Pea Fettuccine – A Pasta From My Salad Days

This rich and creamy, smoked turkey and spring pea
fettuccine recipe is inspired by a pasta I learned long ago, working at my
first real chef job in San Francisco. 

You may have heard me mention Ryan’s Café
in the past, especially if you’ve tried our famous chicken Marsala, and it was
at this same restaurant where I learned what I still consider one of the best
pasta recipes ever.


As I mention in the video, the original was done with smoked
chicken, but for whatever reason smoked turkey is much easier to find at the
market. I blame the sandwich industry, but no worries, as the turkey is just as
good. There’s just something very special about the way the creamy, slightly
sweet, aromatic sauce pairs with the smoky meat. Which reminds me, this is also
wonderful with leftover ham.

Regarding what many would consider the dangerously large
quantities of cream, I’d like to take a moment to do some math. The recipe
makes four appetizer size portions. There’s about 1 3/4 cups of cream used,
which is roughly 350 calories worth of butter-fatty goodness per serving. To
put that into perspective, those two small ladles of dressing you used during
your last trip to the salad bar had about the same amount. So, long story
short, relax.

Anyway, now that I’ve armed you with a comeback for when
your (probably too thin) friend questions your copious cream usage, I hope you
give this very simple, but extraordinarily delicious pasta recipe a try. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 small or 2 large portions:
8 oz dry fettuccine noodles, boiled in salted water
For the sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced shallot
1 3/4 cup heavy cream (about 34-36% fat)
6 oz smoked turkey, sliced
1/2 cup green peas, frozen or fresh shelled
2 tbsp minced fresh tarragon leaves
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
1 tsp lemon zest
Parmigiano-Reggiano to garnish

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Grilled Marsala Marinated Skirt Steak – Thank You, Chicken Parm!

It’s not often that my recipe inspirations cross species, but this juicy and delicious, Marsala-marinated skirt steak is one such case. 

I was in Santa Monica a few years ago, where I ordered a chicken parmesan that featured a garlic, rosemary, and Marsala-spiked sauce; and I loved the subtle sweetness the wine added to the tomato.


For whatever reason, I thought of those flavors while brainstorming a quick skirt steak marinade, and this is what happened. Skirt steak is always great on the grill, and doesn’t needs much help, but I loved how this came out. I can only wonder how much better it would have been if I’d actually let it marinate.

The plan was to prep this in the morning, and grill it for dinner after at least eight hours in the marinade. But, due to hunger-related circumstances beyond my control, it ended up being an early lunch. Even though it only soaked for a short time, it was still very nice, but hopefully you’ll exercise a little more self-control. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 1/2 pound skirt steak
2/3 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp dried rosemary, or 1 tbsp fresh
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, minced
– Marinate for 8 hours to overnight, and grill over high heat (brush grates with oil first, and wipe off excess marinade)

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Chicken Riggies – What if You Never Saw This?

Way back when, the only way you would’ve found out about a
regional recipe like Chicken Riggies, would have been to eat it while traveling
through Central New York. 

You would’ve loved it (because there’s nothing not to
love) and maybe even tried to recreate it when you got home, but more likely it
would have ended up fading into nothing more than a pleasant memory;
referred to as “that rigatoni we had in Utica.”


I’m sure you’ll plan a trip through the lovely Utica/Rome
area of New York State eventually, but in the meantime, I offer up my take on
this thoroughly enjoyable plate of pasta. I think it’s fairly authentic, with
two notable exceptions. I use Marsala instead of the standard white wine, and
use roughly chopped thigh meat, instead of the more popular chicken breasts.

This results in a sauce that seems much richer than it
actually is, and I think you’ll love the subtle sweetness the wine imparts,
which works wonderfully with the heat from the peppers. Of course, as I joke
about in the video, forget how tasty the recipe is…it’s worth making just for
the name alone. What’s for dinner? Chicken Riggies! Riggies? Yes, Riggies!


Anyway, if you’re from Central New York, I hope I did your
venerable recipe proud. If you’re not, I hope you give this gorgeous rigatoni
recipe a try, and experience what only a few decades ago, you may not have ever
heard of. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz hot Italian sausage, crumbled
1 onion, sliced or diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, roughly
chopped or cubed
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 (28-oz) can whole, peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup water, or as needed
1 1/2 cups chopped hot and/or sweet peppers (any jarred or
fresh peppers will work, but cherry peppers are a good choice)
*if using mild peppers, use chili flakes or chili paste to
increase the spiciness.
1/2 cup pitted, halved Greek olives
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 pound rigatoni
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese

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