Chef and cookbook author Rocco DiSpirito is back with a fresh collection of recipes in his latest book, Everyday Delicious.
He appeared on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday to share two easy-to-make dishes for any occasion and tips for easily recreating the recipes at home.
Check out his full recipe below.
Almost French Lemon Caper Chicken
“It’s basically sautéed chicken and a lemon butter sauce. The secret ingredient is bouillon powder,” DiSpirito said of the “umami bomb” she added after adding the chicken and cold butter, followed by a pinch. “We don’t do egg dips here. We actually wanted to eliminate the steps, but we thought it would be cumbersome and complicated.”
material
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
A pinch of chicken bouillon powder
1 pound pasta (cooked, for serving)
direction
Cut the chicken breast into cutlets and season with salt and pepper. Dust the chicken with flour and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. In batches of 1 or 2 cutlets, shallow fry the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside and repeat with remaining cutlets.
Add the chicken stock to the same pot and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and add chicken, half the parsley, and cold butter. Stir to emulsify.
Serve the chicken and sauce over the pasta and garnish with the remaining parsley.
chef tips
– You can buy chicken cutlets right away.
– Salt and pepper go a long way.
– Chicken stock can be scary. I love bouillon powder. It’s really cheap and the quality is good.
– Cook the cutlets for 3 minutes on each side for thinner cutlets, or until both sides begin to brown. Marinate the chicken in the sauce and it’s done.
– The combination of lemon juice and zest maximizes the lemon aroma and flavor of the chicken.
– Parsley is a very versatile herb in cooking. Not too strong, not too light, it pairs well and supports the caper and lemon flavors without being too strong.
– Parsley lasts longer in the refrigerator. A hearty herb.
Mama Nicolina’s cavatelli with broccoli rabe and sweet sausage
material
salt
1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
6 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
A pinch of red chili flakes
1 pound cavatelli
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, more for garnish
direction
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook broccoli rabe in boiling water until fork-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, squeeze out excess water, cut into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.
Fill the stockpot with fresh water. Bring to a boil and season generously with salt.
Heat the olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat and fry the sausage, breaking it up, until lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and chili flakes and sauté until fragrant. Add the broccoli rabe, lower the heat, and let it simmer while the pasta cooks.
Add cavatelli to boiling water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside.
Add 3/4 cup of the pasta water to the saucepan with the sausage and broccoli rabe and stir until deglazed. Add the butter and Parmesan cheese and stir until the sauce is emulsified.
Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/4 cup of the remaining pasta water to thin it. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.
chef tips
– Pre-blanch the broccoli rabe and then brown it. This makes it sweeter and softer than bitter.
– Sweet sausages contain fennel, which adds a licorice flavor that brings sweetness to the dish.
– You can buy sausage meat from casings for ease of cooking.
– Garlic and chili flakes add a savory flavor.
– Stir the butter and Parmesan until the sauce emulsifies into a light cream with the consistency of coffee creamer.
– As the pasta reduces the moisture in the sauce, place the finished dish in the pot to mix the sauce and enhance the flavor. It is important to leave it alone!
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