A Little Thing Called Florentine
By: Chelsie Waugh
Updated: December 1, 2011
A Little Thing Called Florentine
Special Equipment List:
Cutting board, Chef's knife, 1 food storage bag or plastic wrap, Flat-sided meat mallet, 8-quart stockpot w/lid, Colander 12' skillet, preferably nonstick, Tongs, Aluminum foil, Microplane grater,
Ladle
*Cook's Note: While I used boneless, skinless breasts to prepare my Florentine, if you want to, feel free to substitute chicken filets or tenders. Kids love them. Plan on serving 3-4 per person. Do not pound them, but do salt, pepper and flour them. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
2 large, meaty, boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, about 10-12 ounces each, cut in half width-wise to form four relatively even sized 5-6 ounce portions (Note: If you want to serve two larger portions, do not cut the chicken in half. Proceed with recipe as directed.)
freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend
Wondra quick-mixing flour for sauce and gravy
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons salted garlic
For the sauce:
1-1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallots (sweet onions may be substituted)
2 cups thinly-sliced white button mushroom caps, no stems
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 cups fresh, clean, dry, spinach leaves, trimmed of stems (about 3 ounces spinach leaves)
4 tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the pasta:
1 pound linguini
4 ounces salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the optional garnishes:
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup finely diced tomato
freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend
shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
1. One at a time, place each piece of chicken in a food storage bag (or between two pieces of plastic wrap). Using the flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound each piece until it is about 1/3 larger than its original size. Do not smash it to smithereens. Pounding the meat not only tenderizes it, it allows it to cook quickly without drying out.
2. Season chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper than sprinkle them on both sides with flour. Set aside for 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to absorb moisture which will in turn result in a light, golden brown crust. While the chicken is resting:
3. In an 8-quart stockpot bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente. Drain thoroughly and return hot pasta to still warm stockpot. Add the butter, garlic powder, sea salt and red pepper flakes. Toss, like you would a salad, until pasta is coated in a buttery, garlicy, slightly spicy mixture. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
4. To cook the chicken, in a 12' skillet over low heat, melt the butter in to the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces. Adjust heat to medium-high and saute until chicken is a light golden brown on both sides, about 3 1/2 minutes per side, or until chicken is just cooked through, moist and juicy. Turn the heat off for just a moment. Using a pair of tongs, remove the chicken from the pan juices, place on a plate or a platter, cover with aluminum foil and set aside.
5. Add the garlic, shallots and mushrooms to the pan juices in skillet. Adjust heat to medium-high and saute until mushrooms have released their moisture and are just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook until only a thin coating of liquid remains in the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.
6. Add the cream and spinach to the skillet. Adjust heat to a gentle, steady simmer. Cook until spinach leaves are wilted and deep green in color and cream has reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Turn heat off.
7. Grate and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the sauce. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated.
8. To serve, onto each of four, warmed serving plates, divide and portion the pasta. Place a piece of chicken on top of, or, to the side of the pasta. Ladle sauce evenly over the top of all four plates. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
Special Equipment List:
Cutting board, Chef's knife, 1 food storage bag or plastic wrap, Flat-sided meat mallet, 8-quart stockpot w/lid, Colander 12' skillet, preferably nonstick, Tongs, Aluminum foil, Microplane grater,
Ladle
*Cook's Note: While I used boneless, skinless breasts to prepare my Florentine, if you want to, feel free to substitute chicken filets or tenders. Kids love them. Plan on serving 3-4 per person. Do not pound them, but do salt, pepper and flour them. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
2 large, meaty, boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves, about 10-12 ounces each, cut in half width-wise to form four relatively even sized 5-6 ounce portions (Note: If you want to serve two larger portions, do not cut the chicken in half. Proceed with recipe as directed.)
freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend
Wondra quick-mixing flour for sauce and gravy
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons salted garlic
For the sauce:
1-1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced shallots (sweet onions may be substituted)
2 cups thinly-sliced white button mushroom caps, no stems
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
3 cups fresh, clean, dry, spinach leaves, trimmed of stems (about 3 ounces spinach leaves)
4 tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the pasta:
1 pound linguini
4 ounces salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the optional garnishes:
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup finely diced tomato
freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn blend
shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
1. One at a time, place each piece of chicken in a food storage bag (or between two pieces of plastic wrap). Using the flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound each piece until it is about 1/3 larger than its original size. Do not smash it to smithereens. Pounding the meat not only tenderizes it, it allows it to cook quickly without drying out.
2. Season chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper than sprinkle them on both sides with flour. Set aside for 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to absorb moisture which will in turn result in a light, golden brown crust. While the chicken is resting:
3. In an 8-quart stockpot bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Cook the linguine until al dente. Drain thoroughly and return hot pasta to still warm stockpot. Add the butter, garlic powder, sea salt and red pepper flakes. Toss, like you would a salad, until pasta is coated in a buttery, garlicy, slightly spicy mixture. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
4. To cook the chicken, in a 12' skillet over low heat, melt the butter in to the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces. Adjust heat to medium-high and saute until chicken is a light golden brown on both sides, about 3 1/2 minutes per side, or until chicken is just cooked through, moist and juicy. Turn the heat off for just a moment. Using a pair of tongs, remove the chicken from the pan juices, place on a plate or a platter, cover with aluminum foil and set aside.
5. Add the garlic, shallots and mushrooms to the pan juices in skillet. Adjust heat to medium-high and saute until mushrooms have released their moisture and are just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue to cook until only a thin coating of liquid remains in the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute.
6. Add the cream and spinach to the skillet. Adjust heat to a gentle, steady simmer. Cook until spinach leaves are wilted and deep green in color and cream has reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Turn heat off.
7. Grate and add the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the sauce. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated.
8. To serve, onto each of four, warmed serving plates, divide and portion the pasta. Place a piece of chicken on top of, or, to the side of the pasta. Ladle sauce evenly over the top of all four plates. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.
