PICCATA-WHATA?
Growing up, my parents had a specific dinner rule. No tv, no phone calls, no distractions. We were to sit down together, share a warm meal, and converse about the day. Dinner time was family time. Admittedly, this nightly tradition often drove me nuts as a teenage girl. The alluring song of the land line ringing in my bedroom upstairs was undoubtedly a friend calling with gossip flowing through our school hallways. Regardless of how much I begged, negotiated or pleaded, the answer was always the same: “No.”
Upon graduating high school, I moved out of my Boston-based family home and relocated cross country to Los Angeles. The next decade was filled with familiarities most 20 somethings experience. Rent. Roommates. A broken heart. A mended heart. Laughter. Angst. Work. Ready made meals and drive thru delights.
When I turned 28 years old, everything changed. I ran head first into the love of my life and fell head over heels. With Michael came an unexpected gift; his thirteen year old daughter, Jasper. I will never forget the moment I first saw her face as she shyly greeted me at the chosen sidewalk cafe. Any nervousness I may have felt going into that initial introduction melted with her smile because Jasper beams as bright as the sun. Our connection was immediate, sealed with heaping bags of Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers, purchased guilt-free as we celebrated our new found friendship.
Each week, Jasper chose her nights to sleep over at our house. Italian! Greek! Indian! I named it. I knew all the good places and fancied myself a champion take-out orderer. Stepping into my new role as stepmom, I thought about my own parents and our consistent dinner ritual. A realization soon set in and my dial-up pride began to fade. This beautiful growing girl needed a home cooked meal. There was only one problem; I didn’t know how to cook. In fact, the idea of cooking intimidated me more than any other skill. Sure, I could stand up in front of 250 strangers and perform a scene on a movie set, but cooking? Terrifying. I could barely scramble eggs, much less assemble an entire dinner. Surely, that kind of culinary expertise is meant for real life adults. I’m still a kid, right? Jasper and I love eating cereal in bed for dinner! (Evidence in above photo).
Eventually, new found maternal instincts eclipsed the intimidation factor. I bought a cookbook, handed it to Jasper and said, “Pick a recipe! I’ll try my best to make it.” Scanning the list, her finger stopped at one in particular: Lemon Chicken Piccata. PICCATA-WHATA??? I tied on the apron and dove in.
Over the course of the next decade, I set out to conquer my fear of cooking head-on. My house became filled with cookbooks. I even bought a food mill! Jasper was a great sport, patiently disregarding the mistakes and enthusiastically complimenting the home-runs. To this day, there is nothing that brings me more joy than for Jasper to assume her “happy dance” when she takes a bite of a meal she adores.
Many of the recipes shared here originate from professional chefs who have graciously shared their own culinary story (credit will reside with each recipe). For their expertise and guidance, I am extremely grateful. Without them, I would not have contributed recipes of my own.
KIND.EST COOKING represents our family’s favorite flavors. And if you look closely, you may also uncover the ingredients of life. Taking a leap into the unknown. Growing up. New adventures. Laughter. Above all else, KIND.EST COOKING is bound with the most powerful and fundamental element of all; Love.
A stepmother to her daughter. From our table to yours. This is our story.
Jasper, this one’s for you.
LEMON CHICKEN PICCATA
This recipe originates from Giada De Laurentiis’s cookbook, “Everyday Italian.” Giada’s recipes are so good and accessible. Her cookbook was an ideal place for me to begin my culinary practice (& return to again and again). Below, I make the addition of lightly seasoning the flour (as well as the chicken before going into the flour). I find this step lends an extra layer of flavor to the dish. Once you are comfortable with a recipe, get creative and adjust to your liking. I truly believe the most important part of cooking is making the recipe your own. Enjoy!
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins
INGREDIENTS
2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
All-purpose flour, for dredging, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (or the juice from 3 lemons)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a separate dish, lightly salt and pepper the flour. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Add the lemon juice and stock to skillet. Bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor.
Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add capers and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Check for seasoning. (I have never had to add salt here as there are already a few salty elements, but it’s up to you!)
Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.
Serve with your favorite pasta, I prefer linguine with this dish.
