Recipe Wednesday: Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast With Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard and Tarragon

We are still five months away from Valentines Day, but this recipe comes from the My Valentine's class led by Chef Joshua Simpson in February of 2009. And there's no reason you have to save a great recipe like this for Valentine's Day. Serve it this week to make your whole family feel special!

Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast
 With Red Wine Vinegar, Mustard and Tarragon

4 skin on chicken breast
Salt and pepper

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2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chicken stock 6 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp butter softened
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp chopped tarragon
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
3 cups wild rice

Preheat oven to 325

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, and when it’s almost smoking, add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Lower the temp. Cook 6-7 minutes and turn them continue to cook until done.

When chicken is fully cooked remove and put on a platter and keep warm in the oven. Remove excess grease from the pan and add the chicken stock, add the vinegar, whisking to scrape the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid bubble briskly in the pan, whisking, until it’s reduced to about ½ cup, then whisk the butter, tarragon and mustard.

Recipe Wednesday: Seared Tuna Block (Sushi)

Spice up your week with this Seared Tuna Block from Chef Joshua Simpson's Simply Sushi class.

Seared Tuna Block

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7 oz fresh tuna block
2 cups sushi rice
8 fresh chives
Pickled ginger
Wasabi paste

Tuna Seasoning:
1 T black sesame seeds
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp smoked sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry parsley
1 tsp oregano
Mix all of the above together.

Cut the tuna to the desired shape, roll in the seasoning. In a smoking hot skillet sear each side of the tuna. (Rare is the best temp to truly enjoy the flavors)

In a small stock pot blanch 8 pieces of chive (about 20 seconds)

In a block mold (or a round mold) press a small amount of rice in the bottom, place a piece of ginger and smear Wasabi paste. Pace the tuna in top and slice the mold off. Garnish with a chive.

Recipe Wednesday: Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

Thought we'd try a little sushi recipe today taken from our Simply Sushi class led by Joshua Simpson.

Smoked Salmon and Asparagus with Cream Cheese

1 nori sheet
1 cup sushi rice
1 tsp Wasabi paste
2 tbsp cream cheese
4 slices smoked salmon
4 asparagus spears blanched and chilled
Fresh dill minced

Spread sushi rice over nori sheet, flip the roll over so the nori faces up, and with your index finger smear Wasabi and cream cheese over the rice. Arrange 2 salmon slices with two asparagus spears back about 1-1/2” from the end nearest you, allowing asparagus to poke out at each end. Roll until you reach the end, press tight to make sour the roll is tight as possible.