And Tonight's Dinner Was...

Dolce Vita's Polo Mario.

It was from a recipe flyer at our local supermarket (Publix). And it's so easy!

Ingredients:
4 chicken filets, dredged in flour
1/4 c gorgonzola or bleu cheese
dash of white wine
white button mushrooms, sliced
1 c heavy cream
pinch of salt and pepper
butter and drizzle of oil

You saute the floured chicken pieces in butter (I used 1 T) with drizzle of oil till done and lightly browned, and then set aside.
Saute the mushroom slices, butter, and a drizzle of oil in a separate shallow pan till softened.
Transfer the cooked chicken pieces to the pan of mushrooms.
Add heavy cream, and a dash of wine.
Cook over medium heat till cream starts to foam.
Serve chicken topped with the mushrooms and sauce, and garnish with a sprinkle of cheese.
Serve with a side of angelhair pasta, or steamed veggies.



Yes, I know this recipe is not rocket science. It was on my list of new recipes to try, and I tend toward simple ones.

It actually turned out for me (yay!) I didn't have a true white wine required by the ingredient list, just a white merlot (I'm not a wine person so all I know is that it was pink...maybe that's a white?) And the recipe didn't state how many mushrooms. Based on the past experience that most of my cooked mushrooms shrink to about half of what I think they'll be, I used two small cartons of sliced ones. I added some fresh chopped parsley to the sauce right before it was done. I just don't find white on white appealing. The parsley, or whatever complementary chopped fresh herbs that are on hand, make it more appealing (and taste great anyway).

Instead of the angelhair pasta, I took fresh spinach leaves, tore them and quickly tossed them in a hot skillet with barely a touch of olive oil. When they were still a jewel green but slightly wilted, I arranged them on the plates with the individual portions of chicken for each person sitting halfway on its bed of green, then topped the filets with a dab of sauce and mushrooms. The bleu cheese was sprinkled over all, and served.

My daughter was the one who requested this dish. I've been encouraging her to branch out, and told her if she found a do-able recipe, I'd try it. She tends toward anything with a white sauce. The only surprise here was the type of cheese.

She enjoyed it, so it's a keeper. And hey, she ate her spinach! ;-)

This recipe also reminded me of one of my darker kitchen secrets past. My mother taught me only a limited repertoire of foods cooked to a edible state in my childhood. But since man does not live by cornbread alone (though for those of us who love it, it's a thought!), I needed to expand my culinary prowess.

I'll stop here, and post it in a separate blog entry. Or you can skip it, if you like. It's not for the faint-at-heart...

;-)