I am not the greatest recipe pre-reader.  Today I was all set to make Grilled Chicken with Cucumber, Radish, and Cherry Tomato Relish (from the bounty of summer-y recipes in August’s Martha Stewart Living) and reread “grilled.”  Realistically, grilling was not happening.  How to quickly cook the boneless skinless to make it moist and yummy?  How To Cook Like Your Grandmother’s Pan Fried Chicken in Butter was a revelation: pound the chicken thin, lightly flour it, and pan fry it in butter.

The result was perfect.  Moist and chicken-y all the way through paired perfectly with the fresh summer-y flavors and crunch of the cucumber, radish, cherry tomato “relish” (Martha-Stewart-ese for a salad on top of your chicken).  If you crave a summer salad atop chicken, this is what you are looking for.

Recipe and notes after the jump.

Pan Fried Chicken in Butter

I cannot compete with How To Cook Like Your Grandmother’s Pan Fried Chicken in Butter explanation, so click through.  It has pictures!  My only change was to use leftover seasoned flour.  And whether the chicken is done when there is no more pink showing around the edge seems to depend on how consistent and thin you’ve pounded the chicken.  I’m not an expert yet so I had to check for done-ness directly.

Replaces the chicken in….

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber, Radish, and Cherry Tomato Relish

From Martha Stewart Living, recipe not on site yet

Serves 6

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 small jalapeño chile, stem, ribs, and seeds removed (optional), quartered
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 English cucumber (12 ounces), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 radishes, very thinly sliced
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved, or quartered if large
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (2 pounds)
vegetable oil, for grill
1 cup fresh mint, torn into 1/2-inch pieces, plus sprigs for garnish

1. Bring vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, jalapeño, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from heat, and let stand for 15 minutes.  Strain through a fine sieve; discard solids.  Let cool completely.
2. Combine cucumber, radishes, tomatoes, and onion in a medium bowl.  Pour in vinegar mixture, and toss to coat.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.  Lightly oil the grill grate.  Working in batches, grill chicken until cooked through 6 to 7 minutes per side.  Transfer to a platter, and let stand for 10 minutes.  Stir mint into relish.  Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with vinegar if desired.  Spoon relish on top of chicken, and garnish with mint sprigs.

Like Caponata, fennel and garlic confit is a regular on my recipe rotation.  It’s flexible with what I have in the kitchen (garlic can be replaced or supplemented with shallots or onions) and can be made more or less healthy or vegan by modifying the butter and oil quantities.   And once I’ve got some in the fridge, with some toasted pita it’s the perfect satisfying snack or part of dinner.

Since I have been making it, I have modified it slightly from the original recipe from The Kitchn.  (If you look at the original recipe, the fennel fronds burnt and the thin lemon slices resulted in a bitter confit so I dropped them.)

Recipe and pictures after the jump…

Fennel and Garlic Confit (slightly modified from The Kitchn)
about 4 cups

1 large bulb of fennel, with stalks only
6 large cloves of garlic (and/or some quantity of onions and/or shallots)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wash the fennel well. Chop the fennel stalks into 3-4 inch pieces.  Sliver the garlic.

Melt the olive oil and butter in a heavy, flat-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and garlic (and onions and shallots if using). Shake a little black pepper over top and stir in the salt and red pepper flakes. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for about 45 minutes, or until soft and tender.

Let cool, then blend in a food processor until chunky. Store in the fridge – this will keep for at least a week – probably up to two.

Pictures

After 20 minutes or so:

Cooling for the blender:

My formative cooking years included a vegetarian coop and an Armenian roommate.  From the two, one basic cooking strategy I have developed is: buy fresh vegetables, chop them up, saute them with whatever you have around, add canned tomatoes.  Caponata falls into this strategy and having a recipe taught me to add red wine vinegar and put the tomatoes in later than I would have otherwise.  The result is very tasty.

The recipe is really easy and can be modified to your heart’s/taste’s desire.  I only faltered at toasting pine nuts.  I am a terrible toaster.  If anyone has any no-fail toasting tips, send them along.  To quote a Food Network chef, “toasting takes as long as it takes you to forget that you’re toasting.”   Which is exactly my experience both in the oven and on the stove.

Pictures and recipe after the jump…

Classic Caponata from Epicurious/Bon Appetite

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, cubed
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings in juice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons drained capers
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Toasted pine nuts

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic cloves. sauté until eggplant is soft and brown, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with juice, then red wine vinegar and drained capers. Cover and simmer until eggplant and onion are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Season caponata to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in fresh basil. Transfer caponata to serving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. (Caponata can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Pictures

Starting sauteing:

10 minutes later:

Tomatoes added: