ADVENTURES IN DOMESTICITY: Artichoke & Chicken Edition

This past weekend, I stayed in on Saturday night, and in an effort to add a dash of excitement into the evening, I cooked up a nicer meal than usual. On the menu: chicken piccata with a steamed artichoke on the side. I was also going to whip up some chocolate tartlets for dessert, but I forgot to buy whole milk; so that addition had to be tabled. Anyway, culled from various recipes on the Food Network website, the meal was an unmitigated success. And of course, I took photos — although, my camerawork was spotty, and I managed to miss many vital steps along the way. Oh well.

First things first: I got the broth ready to steam the ‘chokes in. This involved wine, water, garlic, bay leaves, lemons, olive oil, and some parsley flakes. Not sure if it was all necessary, but it certainly made the apartment smell lovely.

Next, it was time to prep the artichoke. I’d like to add that this was the biggest one in the store — so big that the checkout woman gasped. I found it all the way in the back, and since the artichokes were priced per unit, not per pound, it was QUITE the deal.

Ginormous!

After trimming the artichoke (sorry, forgot to take a picture of it), I placed it in the pot and got to work on the dipping sauce: lite mayo, dijon mustard, capers, shallots, and lemon juice.

Okay, this is where I forgot I was taking pictures. In the ensuing time between making the dip and the next photo, I pounded out my thawed chicken breast; seasoned it; dredged it in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs; pan seared it in olive oil; and then transferred it to the oven. I should note that according to Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, chicken piccata does not have breadcrumbs (one contestant got axed — or almost axed — last season for making such a mistake, if I remember correctly), but this was Ina Garten’s recipe, and I wasn’t about to disrespect her or her breadcrumbs (or her lack of capers).
Nevertheless, I wiped out the oil from the pan and started on the piccata sauce process.

Ah yes. Wine, lemon juice, lemon rinds, and butter. However, in an effort to be healthier, I used EarthBalance, not real butter. It tasted exactly the same but with none of the cholesterol. Kudos, ME.

And there’s the chicken baking away in the oven for a few minutes.

And voila! A perfect late-summer dinner.

I mean, LOOK at that. Crispy, moist, lemony… I WANT ANOTHER.

To use any or all of the recipes, check them out here:
• Ina’s Chicken piccata
• Steamed Whole Artichokes
• Dipping Sauce