Roasted Garlic Chicken Alfredo

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 1 cup pasta mixture and 2 cutlets)

Ingredients

• 1 whole garlic head
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 8 ounces uncooked whole-grain spaghetti
• 4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast cutlets
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of ground red pepper
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut the top off garlic head; discard top. Rub cut side of garlic head with olive oil. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap garlic in foil. Bake at 400° for 55 minutes or until tender; cool slightly. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Place garlic pulp in a bowl; mash with a fork. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Cut chicken cutlets lengthwise to form 8 (2-ounce) cutlets. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and black pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter to pan; swirl until butter melts. Add flour; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in garlic pulp, milk, and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in nutmeg, dash of ground red pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Add pasta; toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with chicken.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 488
• Fat: 12.6g
• Saturated fat: 5.7g
• Sodium: 563mg

Lemongrass Beef Stew

From “Vietnamese Home Cooking” p. 162

Ingredients 

3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups diced yellow onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup finely minced lemongrass
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 by 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
2 whole star anise pods
1 or 2 Thai chiles, stemmed, plus 1 teaspoon minced, for garnish
6 cups beef stock
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
8 ounces daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
About 2 tablespoons Fish sauce
1/4 cup finely sliced fresh Thai basil, for garnish

Directions 

1. Place the beef in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Let stand while you prepare all of the other ingredients. 
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the beef and cook, turning as needed, for about 8 minutes, until browned on all sides. As each batch is ready, transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet. 
3. Decrease the heat to medium and add the onion to the now-empty pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is a deep golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Add the lemongrass, tomato paste, ginger, star anise, and whole chile to taste and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large clay pot (or Dutch oven). 
4. Add the beef and any accumulated juices to the clay pot and pour in the stock. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, decrease the heat so the liquid is at a gentle simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-1/2 hours, until the meat is just tender. 
5. Add the carrots and daikon, re-cover, and cook for 30 minutes longer, until the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is very tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, to taste.
6. Serve the stew directly from the clay pot. Top each serving with some of the basil and minced chile.

Bò Luc Lac (Shaking Beef)

From “Vietnamese Home Cooking” p. 196

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds filet mignon, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons Fish sauce
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 whole scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed

Dipping Sauce

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions 

1. To marinate the beef, in a bowl, combine the beef, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir to mix well. Let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. 
2. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, the remaining tablespoon sugar, mirin, light and dark soy sauces, and fish sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside. 
3. Divide the meat into 2 equal portions. Heat a wok over high heat until hot; the metal will have a matte appearance and a drop or two of water flicked onto its surface should evaporate on contact. Add 1/4 cup of oil and heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add half of the beef in a single layer and sear for about 5 minutes, until a brown crust forms on the first side. Flip the cubes and cook for 1 minute on the second side. 
4. Add half each of the red onion and scallions and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add half of the soy sauce mixture and shake the pan to coat the cubes of beef. Add half each of the garlic and butter and shake the pan to distribute evenly. Transfer to a dish and keep warm. 
5. Wipe the wok clean and return to high heat. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the remaining 1/4 cup of the oil, beef, red onion, scallions, garlic, and butter. 
6. Arrange the watercress on a platter and top with the beef. To make the dipping sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the salt and pepper and squeeze in the lime juice. Place alongside the platter for dipping the beef cubes as you eat.