September 2, 2016. Lunch – Azuma, Dinner at The Palmer’s Fricasseed Chicken Breasts with a Mushroom Cream Sauce, Asparagus, and string beans

September 2, 2016. Lunch – Azuma,  Dinner at The Palmer’s Fricasseed Chicken Breasts with a Mushroom Cream Sauce, Asparagus, and string beans

I wanted to go to buy bread at Fano and eat lunch and then shop at Sprouts.  I caklled East Ocean and found out it was closed, so I bought bread and then drove to Azuma and ordered my favorite dish, which is Chirashi Donburi; an assortment of twelve pieces of seafood arranged on sushi rice with other items.  Today the chef gave me a small pile of seaweed salad, a couple of asparagus and two cooked carrot sticks rolled in roasted sesame seeds plus two pieces of omelet and pickled and fresh shredded daikon.  A feast I could only eat one-half of.  

I then drove to Sprouts at Academy and San Mateo and bought two swordfish steaks and a large porterhouse steak at $6.99/lb. each.

I bought mushrooms, a cauliflower, yogurt, green seedless grapes, green beans, and two ears of corn.

Susan and Charlie had invited Willy and me to dinner.  When we arrived Susan had steamed the string beans and asparagus, but the meat course was yet to be cooked.  We had discussed the entrée a few days before and it had mentioned how much I liked a mushroom cream sauce with chicken.  When we arrived Susan had bought oyster mushrooms and portabello mushrooms.

 I volunteered to make the sauce and Susan agreed to sauté the chicken breasts. The chicken breasts were so large we had to cut them into pieces.

I started by slicing garlic, a shallot,  and mushrooms. I sautéed the shallot and garlic in butter.  Willy went home to pick some thyme for the sauce and basil for the chicken, as a substitute for fresh parsley.

Susan floured the chicken and sautéed it in olive oil and butter.  When the chicken was cooked we deglazed the pan with white wine and then garnished the chicken with thinly sliced basil leaves.

While the chicken was cooking, I added the mushrooms and thyme to the shallots and garlic and sautéed them.  I then began to make the sauce in the same pan with the other ingredients by adding 2 to 3 T. each of  butter and flour and cooking it until it seemed to no longer be pasty.  I then began adding liquids, Sherry, about 4oz. of chicken stock Susan had prepared about ¾ cup of milk, some cream, more Sherry and finally some white wine plus nutmeg, salt and white pepper.  The sauce loosened up and then thickened  as it continued to cook.  When the chicken was ready so was the sauce and the pasta soon was ready also.

Susan had brought back a pound of fresh Meyer lemon flavored linguine from San Francisco that we cooked.  We drained the pasta and plated the dishes with pasta, sauce, chicken, and vegetables for a fabulous feast.  I had brought a chilled bottle of La Granja Spanish white wine I bought at Trader Joe’s for $4.99, a blend of Viura and Verdejo grapes, a lovely soft wine that went well with chicken and cream sauce.

For dessert Susan served vanilla ice cream and blonde brownies and tea.

Willy and I loved dinner and thanked Susan for the invitation and lovely dinner.

Bon Appetit