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When friends come to visit, serve up a simple meal of chicken with rice and butter tarts for dessert.
About this time every year, thousands of folks from Pittsburgh find their way to the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Some go for theater at the Shaw Festival—plays by George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries are presented at three different venues. Some go for the extraordinary hospitality at the many quaint bed-and-breakfasts. Others are drawn to the growingly sophisticated wine and food scene in this vine-friendly town. But my wife, Laura, and I go for the butter tarts. Whether from the smallest farm stand or the most elaborate bakery, these Canadian delicacies mimic the consistency and sweetness of a pecan pie but with more flaky texture and buttery goodness than its southern counterpart. We like those at Willow Cakes and Pastries on Mary Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake; or, try this recipe. It is a delightful dessert to serve after a simple dinner of sautéd chicken with parmigiano-reggiano cheese, baby-artichoke hearts, garlic and lemon.
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Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken-breast halves
Salt and pepper
Flour for dusting
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 baby artichokes, cleaned and trimmed (or 1 box frozen artichoke hearts)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese
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Preparation:
Butterfly cut each chicken breast and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat oil in a large sauté pan and cook chicken for a minute or two on each side to brown. Remove to dish; keep warm. Cut baby artichokes into quarters and toss with lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add to sauté pan; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, chicken stock and garlic. Bring to boil. Lower to simmer; add chicken. Cover and simmer 10 minutes until artichokes are tender. Top each chicken cutlet with cheese; cover 1 to 2 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with pasta or rice.
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BUTTER TARTS
Pastry:
Mix flour, salt and baking powder in bowl or food processor. Cut in butter; or pulse in food processor until the entire mixture is crumbly. Beat egg with vinegar and add enough water to make 1/2 cup liquid. Add to flour and process until dough forms. Press dough into 2 disks; cover with plastic wrap; chill 20 minutes. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick; cut into 4-inch circles. Fit into muffin cups; place muffin tins in freezer until ready for filling.
Filling:
Put sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, salt and vanilla into food processor; mix until well-blended. Place a few raisins and a few pieces of walnut into bottom of each pastry. Fill each cup three-quarters with filling mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until pastry is light-brown. Cool for a few minutes before removing from pans.
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