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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Sauteed Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta

 
 Every once in awhile a recipe comes along that it so easy and so incredibly delicious that you simultaneously want to tell everyone you know about it AND keep it all to yourself. This is such a recipe. Perfect exactly as written (although it's also ok if you accidentally use 8 tablespoons instead of 8 teaspoons of oregano). Thank you, Epicurious.

Sauteed Chicken with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta
from Epicurious
  • 6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, trimmed, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 8 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 30 pitted Kalamata olives, cut lengthwise into slivers
  • 16 grape tomatoes, stemmed, quartered lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Score top of chicken breasts with sharp knife; place in large glass baking dish. Whisk 1/2 cup oil, lemon juice, 6 teaspoons oregano, and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 3 tablespoons dressing for tomatoes. Pour remaining dressing over chicken; turn chicken to coat. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours, turning occasionally.

Toss olives, tomatoes, feta, remaining 2 teaspoons oregano, and reserved dressing in medium bowl. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato mixture onto chicken.

Honey-Marinated Pork with Gremolata

Epicurious has become my go-to spot for weeknight recipes, primarily because its iphone app makes shopping so darn easy. This recipe caught my eye for a few reasons: (a) I almost always have a pork tenderloin in the freezer; (b) it possesses a coveted 4-fork rating; and (c) it is classified as both "low cal" and "healthy" (two factors that are more important than ever while my usual calorie-burning activities have been curtailed).

I prepared it exactly as written, and was satisfied (if not blown away) by the results. If I make it again, I will likely let it marinate a little longer, perhaps overnight, as one reviewer suggested. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it more the second night than I did on the first.

Honey-Marinated Pork with Gremolata

  • 2 12-to 14-ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon (or more) fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
Place pork in 11 x 7 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk honey, garlic, and orange juice in small bowl. Pour over pork; turn to coat. Sprinkle pork with 1 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer pork to plate; reserve marinade. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to skillet. Brown on all sides, turning often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to oven; cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes. Reserve skillet.

Pour reserved marinade into same skillet; add wine. Boil gently until reduced to 1/2 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Mix orange peel, thyme, rosemary, and sage in small bowl for gremolata. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; transfer to platter. Pour sauce over pork. Sprinkle with gremolata and serve.