Eye for a Recipe

This tasty dish from Chef Daphna Rabinovitch takes only minutes to make. Pound chicken breasts until they are thin, dredge in flour and cook them. Once the cutlets are done, make a quick pan sauce flavoured with lemon and capers.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Imagine chicken stock, which has no artificial colours or flavours. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. I use Unico capers, which are additive-free.

Pound chicken until it is then and then dredge in flour

Fry until browned and cooked through

While chicken rests, make a pan sauce

Chicken piccata

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, filet removed, pounded thin to ¼ inch (0.64 cm) thickness

¼ cup (60 ml) all purpose flour

¼ tsp (1 ml) each salt and pepper

3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil (not olive oil)

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock

2 tsp (10 ml) grated lemon rind

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) drained capers

2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

3 tbsp (45 ml) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation:

In large shallow bowl or plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Carefully coat chicken breasts in flour mixture, reserving any remaining flour.

Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add cutlets, two at a time, to prevent overcrowding of the pan, and cook, turning once, for 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Transfer cooked cutlets to plate; cover to keep warm. Add remaining oil to pan; repeat with last two cutlets, transferring to plate to keep warm once cooked.

Stir garlic into pan; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Sprinkle in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of reserved flour mixture; cook, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Pour in chicken stock; bring to boil. Boil for about 3 minutes or until reduced to ½ cup (125 ml). Pour in lemon rind, juice and capers, simmer for another minute or so until thickened and flavourful. Swirl in parsley. Pour sauce over chicken and serve. Serves 4.

Daphna Rabinovitch

Recently, the grocery store was selling whole rainbow trout. What a treat! There’s nothing better than a whole, cleaned fish, stuffed with fresh herbs and lemon slices, and then steamed or grilled. A fish basket is handy for turning the fish on the grill – mine was elsewhere, so I used a hamburger basket instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The fish, herbs and lemon slices are additive-free.

Stuff fish with herbs and lemon slices and place in oiled grill basket or foil

Grill over indirect heat until just cooked through

Let fish rest for five minutes

Grilled rainbow trout

Ingredients:

1 rainbow trout, about 1 lb. (454 g)

Salt and pepper

A handful of tender fresh herbs, such as dill, cilantro or parsley, washed

1 lemon, half thinly sliced and half cut into wedges

Preparation:

Preheat gas or charcoal grill and arrange it for indirect cooking (i.e., hot on one part of the grill and cooler on another).

Rinse fish inside and out with cool water and pat dry. Remove head of fish if you wish. Sprinkle inside of fish with salt and pepper. Stuff fish with herbs and lemon slices. Brush the fish on both sides with oil and place in an oiled fish basket. If you don’t have a fish basket, you can keep the stuffing in by tying a piece of kitchen twine around the fish in a couple of places. You could also place the fish in a packet of greased foil.

Place the fish on preheated, oiled grill. Cook, turning once, over indirect heat until fish is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. If using a thermometer, remove the fish when it is about 140 to 145 degrees F (60 to 63 degrees C). You can also grill the fish for a minute on each side on the hot part of the grill to brown it. Let the fish rest, covered, for about five minutes.

To serve, remove fish from basket or foil. Gently remove stuffing and skin on one side, then lift the flesh away from the skeleton. Repeat with other side. Serve fish with lemon wedges. Serve 2.