Don’t let the plating fool you–this is lazy cooking at its best. It was the middle of the week, and groceries were running low. Normally, this would trigger a call for pizza, or take-out, but if you’ve been following the blog for a while, you could probably guess that I’d much rather stretch what I have into dinner. Given a few random leftover ingredients, it’s still possible to make something awesome–and it’ll be easier than you think.

 

This week, I’m going to teach you a shortcut that will help you make a sauce out of nearly anything– boiling water. It shouldn’t be hard to imagine that water plays a role in nearly everything we eat–but when it comes to sauces, boiling water can both flash cook, and dilute concentrated ingredients. In this case, I had dijon mustard, maple syrup, dried herbs, salt, and white pepper (ground from the inside of the peppercorn for a lighter color and flavor) in a small pot, and the addition of hot water turned it into the perfect glaze. I seared the meat prior to glazing to maximize flavor, then let the heat reduce the sauce, and finish cooking the meat. The flavor would make you think it was hard to make, but it’s nothing more than a balance of the sweet maple syrup with the sharp, spicy mustard– it’s the same contrast that I aim with most of my sauces. If you keep this basic goal in mind, you can make sauce out of almost anything. Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself!

You’ll need:

2 Chicken Breasts

2 Cups Portobello Mushrooms, washed

4 Cups Kale, rinsed

3 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

1/2 Cup Parsley

1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

1/4 Cup Hot Water

2 Tbs Dijon Mustard

2 Tbs Butter

1 Tbs Cider Vinegar

1 Tbs White Pepper

1 Tsp Dried Rosemary

1 Tsp Dried Thyme

2 Cloves

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Mustard Powder

1 Tsp Chili Powder

Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 430 degrees. Combine maple syrup, mustard, chili flakes, vinegar, dried herbs, and butter in a small pot. Add hot water, and simmer on medium heat until thickened. Allow to cool.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt, white pepper, and garlic powder, then sear on med-high heat. Spoon the glaze over the chicken, and quickly transfer to the oven. Bake the chicken until full cooked, flipping once to glaze completely. Remove from the oven, and rest for fifteen minutes before slicing.
3. Place a small amount of butter in a separate pan, and sautee garlic, and mushrooms until tender. Add kale, and season with salt, and vinegar.
4. Plate and serve.

Done.