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Dec. 11th, 2011 01:55 pm
Dec. 11th, 2011
Pantry Noodles
Dec. 11th, 2011 07:04 pmChop up two pieces of bacon and heat in a pan on medium. If you keep a package of bacon in the freezer (which you should), just cut one row of lardons perpendicular to the slices. While this bacon is cooking, defrost four chicken tenderloins in the microwave and drain the water off them. Set the bacon aside, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook it in the bacon grease. If there's not enough bacon grease, add a little olive oil before putting the chicken in the pan.
Fill a small frying pan with fusilli or any pasta that happens to be in the pantry. Cover with water and turn the burner on high. Add salt, but not nearly as much as one customarily does when making pasta in a large pot of water.
When the chicken is cooked, set it aside and melt a pat of butter in the chicken pan, and use the melted butter to lightly fry a teaspoon of capers. If you happen to have a handful of cherry tomatoes that need to be used, throw those in as well and crush them (carefully!) once they soften.
When the pasta is al dente, reserve a few tablespoons of the starchy pasta water, which is easy to gather in a coffee cup if you use a slotted spoon to keep the pasta out of it. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander in the sink to cool. No need to rinse it; pasta cooked in a shallow frying pan doesn't stick.
By now the meat pan should have a nice seasoned layer from cooking the bacon and chicken in it, so deglaze it with a healthy glug of white wine, taking care to rub everything off the bottom of the pan with your spoon or silicone tongs. Add a pat of butter, a heaping tablespoon of dijon mustard, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat and stir, allowing the sauce to unify. Thicken with the reserved pasta water.
Cut the chicken into small pieces and dump it with the bacon and the noodles into the pan of sauce, tossing everything together and heating it through. Serve with a sparkle of parmesan.
For a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes while seasoning the chicken.
Fill a small frying pan with fusilli or any pasta that happens to be in the pantry. Cover with water and turn the burner on high. Add salt, but not nearly as much as one customarily does when making pasta in a large pot of water.
When the chicken is cooked, set it aside and melt a pat of butter in the chicken pan, and use the melted butter to lightly fry a teaspoon of capers. If you happen to have a handful of cherry tomatoes that need to be used, throw those in as well and crush them (carefully!) once they soften.
When the pasta is al dente, reserve a few tablespoons of the starchy pasta water, which is easy to gather in a coffee cup if you use a slotted spoon to keep the pasta out of it. Drain the pasta and leave it in the colander in the sink to cool. No need to rinse it; pasta cooked in a shallow frying pan doesn't stick.
By now the meat pan should have a nice seasoned layer from cooking the bacon and chicken in it, so deglaze it with a healthy glug of white wine, taking care to rub everything off the bottom of the pan with your spoon or silicone tongs. Add a pat of butter, a heaping tablespoon of dijon mustard, and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat and stir, allowing the sauce to unify. Thicken with the reserved pasta water.
Cut the chicken into small pieces and dump it with the bacon and the noodles into the pan of sauce, tossing everything together and heating it through. Serve with a sparkle of parmesan.
For a spicier dish, add red pepper flakes while seasoning the chicken.