Chicken Piccata:
4 servings
Origins are unclear. First appearing in American (Italian) restaurants in the 1930’s. Originally made with veal, this technique can be used for many different types of meat, cut into a thin escalope. In Italy, Piccata is often served as a second course, after the pasta dish and before the entrée.
Equipment needed:
Good Sauté Pan (large enough to hold 4 breasts at a time, with adequate thickness on bottom), pans or plates to reserve meat, excellent tongs (it gets hot). Service plates ready and warm.
Notes:
All prep (mise en place) must be ready before beginning production. See Bold text.
Procedure:
- 4: 4oz skinless chicken breast
Pounded to ½ inch thick between two layers of plastic wrap. Lightly dust with s/p and a pinch of Hing. Reserve off to the side. Warm up sauté pan on medium heat. Add enough safflower oil to lightly coat the pan, bring up to temp.
- 1: Cup of White Wheat flour
Dredge chicken breasts lightly but evenly in the flour and place in heated pan. Skin side (smooth side) down first. (Always put the side of the breast closest to you down first and then gently place the other end down away from you, so as not to splash yourself with hot oil or liquid)
Brown evenly on both sides and then reserve on a plate or pan on the side.
- 1: Cup Dry White Wine
Deglaze the sauté pan. (ie: pour wine in pan to release the flavors from bottom of pan.
- ¼: Cup Shallots peeled and diced fine
Add to reducing wine.
- 2 ½ : Cups Chicken Stock
Once the wine and shallot mixture has been reduced to a sec (light syrup) add the chicken stock and then put your seared chicken breasts, you had reserved, back in the pan. Then Add:
- ½: Lemon, juiced
- 1/3: Cup Strained Capers
Continue reducing the liquid with the chicken breast until chicken is cooked through, (165 degrees) and then reserve the chicken breasts on your service plates. Add in:
- ¼: Cup Ghee (room temp)
Reduce heat, stir in the ghee well, and once the sauce in combined completely, and has a good nape (sauce will not run when placed on the back of a spoon), gently pour over the chicken breasts evenly, in a nice strip. Garnish with lemon wedge and freshly chopped parsley and a dusting of ground Fenugreek. Serve Immediately.
Great with pasta but from an Ayurvedic perspective, perhaps best served with lightly roasted or sautéed (in water or stock) vegetables.
Ayurvedic Notes:
- Hing will help with digestion
- Safflower oil (-PK+V)
- Fenugreek (-VPK)
- Lemon (-VPK)
Chicken is one of the more acceptable meats for Pitta. Using ghee to add sattvic properties to help counteract the tamasic qualities of wine and shallots. Pickled items like capers are best for Vata types, but in smaller amounts can be tolerated by Pitta/Kapha.
