Behind Brown Eyes

I’m not fond of using lemon juice to season warm vegetables or minimize the fishiness of my fish. (I’ll stick to a little melted butter for the few times in my life I’m treated to fresh lobster tails! #nom). Frankly, I’d rather bite into a raw lemon wedge and Instagram a selfie from a puckered perspective than sour savory.

However, as with many so called “rules,” there are also exceptions. And in my case, Chicken Piccata is easily the exception. I lust for lemon when it comes to this dish, and love when my mom makes it for me. I requested it on Sunday night, and so it appeared for dinner! She does that oh so often. Sorta like magic. My little Ang—gotta love her.

Admittedly, I have yet to make this dish on my own. Truth is, I’m currently galavanting in the land of (whole) grains right now—overwhelmed by the variety, versatility, and range of recipes that grains offer. Taste and texture are a surreal surprise every time. My personal favorite to date: WHEAT BERRIES. Now. If only I could find me some red wheat berries…without having to harass a Grain Guide on Bob’s Red Mill Factory Tour in Oregon. Sigh. Actually, that tour sounds like a mighty good time.

Wait, where was I…maybe about to find my disc of the Oregon Trail computer game, so I could find Bob along the way and—

Ah yes! Chicken Piccata. Using the thin cutlets for this dish cuts cooking time tremendously. Couple that with a short ingredient and “cleaner” preparation (i.e., sans breading), and you have yourself a quick, healthy meal. Enjoy this recipe—brought to you by Cuisine, prepared by Ang, and photographed by me.

Note: The recipe below makes 2 servings. Mom uses more cutlets (about 2 lbs.) and doubles the recipe! Trust me. You’ll want the leftovers.

Season

• 4 chicken cutlets

Saute in

• 2 tbsp. Classico olive oil

Deglaze with

• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced

Add

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. capers, drained
• Sauteed cutlets

Finish with

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Fresh lemon slices

Garnish with

• Chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Season cutlets with salt and pepper then dust with flour. Spray saute pan (electric frying pan) with nonstick spray, add olive oil, and heat over medium-high.
2. Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip the cutlets over and saute the other side 1-2 minutes with the pan covered. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate. Pour off fat from the pan.
3. Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly gone, about 2 minutes.
4. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side 1 minute. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate.
5. Finish with butter and lemon slices. Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.
6. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Chicken Piccata.

Quick-step guide from Cuisine magazine.

I am a huge fan of Cuisine magazine. I honestly haven’t made one recipe that I didn’t like! Whatever they’re doing over there in that test kitchen—it’s working.

Among the mountain of accumulated cooking and baking magazines piled high in our pantry, I came across a really great issue of Cuisine. It contains a series of easy, classic marinades, each with a flavor profile from a different origin. If you saw my Asian Salad Dressing post from yesterday, you’ve probably guessed that another Asian something-or-other is about to be posted. You got that right!

While a part of me wants to go downstairs, find the magazine and post the recipe verbatim, I’m going to resist the late-night scavenger hunt and instead give you my variation. (I’ll have to check and see if I sway far from the original, and if so, I’ll get the original up on the blog soon so you can at least have a reference point for my inspiration).

I call it Tablespoon Tuna! Because when mom surprises me with a fresh, sushi-grade tuna steak from our butcher after church, this is my go-to marinade. I haven’t found anything that tops it for a tuna steak. What I can say from experience, is that dry rubs on tuna steaks really do NOT work. I would advise against it. When it comes to tuna steaks, go liquid or go home. Or go to your trash can, where you can throw your tuna and your money. Leverage liquid! Just take my word for it.

Also, while the recipe title is quite catchy, it is also quite conveniently named. Because every ingredient (except the oil—sigh) is pretty much a 1 tbsp. measurement. (You’re welcome).

Ingredients (for one medium to large tuna steak)

• 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar (seasoned)
• 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger (grate over a small pyrex bowl so you don’t lose all of the tasty juices from the fresh root!)
• 1 tbsp. scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp. black/white sesame seeds, toasted
• Seasonings (to taste): Crushed black pepper, and a sprinkle of cayenne and red pepper flakes.

Directions

1. Whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, dark brown sugar, ginger, scallions and seasonings in a bowl until well mixed. (If you feel like you need more liquid for your marinade, try adding another scant tablespoon of rice vinegar).
2. Put the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan on low heat; toast a few minutes, until aromatic or light brown in color. Add seeds to bowl and whisk all ingredients.
3. If desired, reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the marinade as a cold dipping sauce. To avoid contamination, reserve first, then use the rest to marinate the fish.
4. Delicately puncture the tuna steak on both sides with a large fork. Put tuna steak and marinade in a ziplock bag; work the marinade into the tuna until well coated. Let marinate for 10-20 minutes, or up to a day before cooking.

The pictures below are from an experimental cajun dry rub. But still. The griddlemarks and pink center are flawless. And with the Tablespoon Tuna marinade, I can assure you, it’s that much better! Let these inspire you to dabble with the ultimate Asian marinade for tuna steaks. :)

Beautifully seared tuna steak.

Perfectly pink, warmed-through center.