Fried Artichoke Hearts

I love fried things. Seriously. It's like hot oil magically transforms anything into a tasty treat. Last night I was stumped as to what I was going to fix for dinner, and then it hit me: fried artichoke hearts. I know what you're thinking...isn't that an appetizer? Yes. Yes it is. But since I was just cooking for me last night, I broke the rules! Here's how to make them:

Fried Artichoke Hearts

1 cup flour
1 cup light beer
1 tsp salt
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
Canola oil

1. Heat canola oil in deep pan over medium heat. When you dunk the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and it bubbles immediately, you're read to fry!

2. Whisk salt, flour and beer together to form the batter.

3. Dunk artichoke heart quarters in batter and add to oil.

4. Fry until golden brown, stirring occasionally to make sure both sides are cooking.

5. Drain on paper towels. Salt to taste and enjoy!

A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice really perks up the flavor, but isn't necessary. I only did half a can (everything in moderation, right?), but I looked at some lonely anaheim peppers in the fridge and decided to batter and fry a couple of those as well. It was awesome. A strange combination, but both good!

Chicken Piccata

I know there’s been silence over here, but things have been busy! Now that I’m in Dallas, I have plenty of time to think about recipes, try recipes and write recipes down. I thought I’d start with something I’ve come to be known for: chicken piccata.

Chicken Piccata

One of the most requested recipes from my family is my chicken piccata. My dad won’t order it in a restaurant because he likes mine more! And I can’t blame him. It’s delicious. But the secret is – it’s super easy to make. A little elbow grease goes a long way. If you want to impress someone, this is a great way to do it! Chicken piccata looks pretty fancy once you put it on a platter.

This particular recipe serves 4 – 6…depending on the appetites.

4 chicken breasts
1 stick butter
4 – 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup flour
1 – 1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 jar capers
1 bunch parsley
1 – 2 lemons
Salt and Pepper

• Lay chicken breast flat and butterfly.
  Butterfly: slice the breast in half horizontally – making sure to not cut it completely in half. It should open like a book.
  

• Pound breast flat.
  I like to cut the sides of a gallon freezer bag and pound the chicken between for easy clean up. You can use a heavy skillet, but the easiest is the flat side of a meat mallet.
  

• Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

• Add salt and pepper to flour (to taste). Dredge the chicken, shake off excess flour and set aside.

• In a large skillet, melt ½ stick of butter and 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.
  I usually set it just above medium – not as close to medium high. I’ve also used an electric skillet to keep the heat even.
  

• Pan fry the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides.

• While the chicken is cooking, zest one of the lemons and set aside.

• Drain the capers.

• Chop the parsley until very fine.

• When the last piece of chicken is cooked, add one cup of stock to deglaze the pan. Whisk sauce until it starts to boil.

• Add lemon zest and capers. If sauce reduces too much, add the reserved ½ cup of stock.

• Melt the remaining ½ stick of butter into sauce while whisking.

• When sauce comes together, add ¾ of the parsley and turn off heat.

• Add juice of the zested lemon.
  If the lemon isn’t very juicy, add the juice of two lemons.
  

• Slide the chicken back into the sauce and turn to coat.

• Arrange the chicken on a platter. Pour sauce over the top. Top with reserved ¼ bunch parsley.

That's it! I like to serve this with orzo to catch the sauce, but I've also served it with potatoes on the side and it was equally delicious.