Mushroom & Walnut Salad with Sour Cream Dressing

Fresh, light and perfect for lunch or a dinner first course. Button mushrooms, walnut pieces, scallions, lemon juice, sour cream, salt and pepper are combined and chilled in the fridge, covered, for an hour (or up to 5-6 hours). The perfect do-ahead meal. When ready to serve, spoon the mixture onto a few leaves of Boston lettuce and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, chives, or tarragon. Nice with a buttery chardonnay!

Based on Jacque Pépin's recipe in "Fast Food My Way."

Recipe

4 c. sliced mushrooms
3/4 c. walnut pieces
2/3 c. sour cream
1/2 c. minced scallions
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Boston Lettuce Leaves (about 2 to 3 leaves per person)
2-3 T. fresh chopped herbs (chives, parsley, or tarragon)

In a large bowl combine the mushrooms, walnut pieces, sour cream, scallions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and put in the fridge until ready to serve (1 to 5 hours ahead). When ready to serve, arrange lettuce leaves in four plates or bowls, spoon the mushroom salad onto the leaves, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve.

– Jacques Pépin, "Fast Food My Way"

Chicken Supreme Kiev-Style

The man can do no wrong! Jacques Pépin's Chicken Supreme Kiev-Style ("Good Life Cooking") is a must have recipe to include in your list of favorites. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are butterflied and lightly pounded between two sheets of plastic wrap to achieve a uniform thickness; a mixture of sautéed onion, garlic, mushroom, salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro is set in the middle of the chicken breast and then folded over to enclose the stuffing, dipped in milk (I used soy milk) and rolled in fresh bread crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, and more fresh cilantro with a touch of olive oil to prevent the crust from burning. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 minutes. The result is an herbal-infused, moist, crunchy mouthful ... absolutely delicious! Definitely use fresh herbs as dried herbs would not do this dish justice. If you don't care for cilantro, substitute your favorite herb. Tarragon, dill, thyme, or another fresh herb would work well here. Parsley might be okay if that's all you have, but it wouldn't pack enough of a punch, in my opinion. Serve with a simple green salad and a glass of Penner-Ash Viognier, and that's it!

Recipe

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (trim fat)
Mushroom Filling:
   1-1/2 T. virgin olive oil
   1-1/2 c. onions, chopped
   8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (3 cups)
   3-4 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed, and chopped
   1/2 tsp. salt
   1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
   2 T. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Coating:
   4 slices cubed white bread (put in food processor to make crumbs (about 2 cups)
   2 T. olive oil
   2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
   1/2 tsp. salt
   1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
   1/4 c. milk (or milk substitute)

Slice horizontally almost all the way through the chicken breast, open like a book, put between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly to achieve an even thickness. For the filling, heat olive oil over medium high heat, add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, covered, for 3 minutes. Add the cilantro, stir and transfer mixture to a plate to cool.

When the filling is cooled, mound one portion in the middle of each chicken breast. Fold meat over the filling to enclose it completely. For the coating, mix the bread crumbs, cilantro, salt and pepper in a bowl, add the 2 T. of olive oil, stir and set aside.

Dip the chicken breasts in the milk, then roll in the bread crumb mixture, arrange on a roasting pan and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 400-degree oven.

– Jacques Pépin, "Good Life Cooking"

Shrimp with Cabbage and Red Pepper

Silky, smooth, elegant and ridiculously easy to prepare, you must try this recipe by Jacques Pépin ("More Fast Food My Way"). He calls it Shrimp with Cabbage and Red Caviar, but I substituted diced red pepper for the fish eggs. I had leftovers the next day and it was really good served cold.

Watch Jacques prepare this fabulous dish here. Starts at 7 min. 15 sec. mark.

Recipe

6 c. shredded savoy cabbage
1 c. chicken stock
2 garlic cloves
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. dry fruity white wine
3/4 c. heavy cream
20 shelled uncooked medium to large shrimp
1 T. dijon mustard
2 T. minced red pepper (Jacques' recipe uses 2 T. red salmon or trout caviar)
2 T. shopped fresh dill (garnish)

Put shredded cabbage in a large skillet with the chicken stock. Grate garlic over the cabbage; add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and boil over high heat for 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone. Cabbage should be tender but still firm.

Add the wine and cream to the cabbage and boil for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, cover and bring back to a boil, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Shrimp should be pink and firm. Add the mustard and stir into the sauce to thicken it.

Spoon the cabbage onto four warmed plates and arrange the shrimp and sauce over it. Garnish each serving with some minced red pepper and a sprinkling of fresh dill.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Mini Savory Cheesecakes on Arugula

A perfect light lunch or dinner first course for four, these blue cheese mini cheesecakes are rich, elegant and tasty. Depending on the saltiness of your cheese you may want to omit the salt in the recipe. The little gems are set on a bed of lightly dressed arugula (1 T. olive oil, 1 tsp. red wine or balsamic vinegar, dash of ground pepper). I served these as a first course to my pecan crusted razor clams with a nice glass of Penner-Ash 2012 Shea Pinot Noir.

Yet another Jacques Pépin recipe from "More Fast Food My Way," you can watch his video located here. 

Recipe

2 tsp. unsalted butter
1 slice bread, cut in cubes and put in food processor
8 oz. whipped cream cheese
2 large eggs
1/4 c. sour cream (I didn't have any so I used plain yogurt)
dash of salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese
3 cups arugula

Coat four 3/4 c. ramekins generously with the butter and bread crumbs. Mix the cream cheese in a medium bowl and add the eggs, sour cream, salt and pepper, most of the blue cheese (saving 4 chunks for later), and 1 T. of the parsley. Mix well with a whisk and pour into the souffle molds. Push one little chunk of blue cheese into the middle of the mold, and top with the remaining tablespoon of parsley. Put on a baking sheet and bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Unmold in your hand and turn it over so it's right side up, and place on a bed of arugula.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Crusty Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Sauce

If you have never purchased chicken with the skin on and bone in, you must try these chicken thighs the way Jacques Pépin cooks them – skin side down in a dry non-stick pan on high heat, then covered for 16-18 minutes. Using the same pan make a mushroom sauce in 5 minutes with onion, garlic and mushrooms. From his "More Fast Food My Way" cookbook.

See Jacques prepare this dish and get the recipe here (starts at about the 2 min. 18 sec. mark)

Stuffed Scallops on Mushroom Rice

One of my favorite recipes from Jacques Pépin's "Fast Food My Way." The rice dish is made with arborio but less fuss than a traditional risotto preparation; butter and parmesan are added at the end. The scallops are cut in half and stuffed with a mixture of garlic, pine nuts, basil leaves and quickly fried (2 minutes per side). Couldn't be easier – or more delicious! I served this with a first course of Asparagus Custard, and a Cookie Dough Raspberry Tart for dessert.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch Jacques' "Under the Sea" episode for free – it also includes his Egg and Tomato Gratin first course, Greens with Quick Cream Dressing, and Pineapple Wedges in Caramel for a complete menu.