Layered Salmon Crumble with Gruyere Potatoes

An excellent casserole!  From Food and Drink Spring 2016

425 to 500 g skinless, boneless salmon fillets
Butter or nonstick spray
2 tbsp panko or other dry bread crumbs
1 box baby spinach mixed with other greens such as arugula, kale and chard
1/2 cup 18% cream
2 eggs
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each of Dijon mustard and chili flakes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pkg frozen home fries, about 2 cups
60g Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese coarsely grated, about 1 1/4 cups
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 large sweet red peppers, roasted peeled and seeded
2 green onions thinly sliced

• Preheat oven to 425F.  Arrange rack above oven centre.
• Cut each fillet lengthwise into 5 pieces. Butter, or coat with nonstick spray, a deep dish 9 inch pie plate or equivalent gratin dish; sprinkle with panko.  Arrange salmon laying on sides evenly over bottom.
• Place spinach mixture on a round dinner plate; cover.  Microwave for 1 minute on high or until wilted.  Remove cover; flip like a pancake onto a double thickness of paper towel. Cover with more paper towels; press to remove moisture.
• Lightly whisk cream with eggs, salt, mustard, chili flakes and pepper.
• Toss home fries with cheese and half of parsley.
• Over top of salmon, arrange roasted pepper; top with spinach pancake.  Sprinkle with green onions.  Pour over cream mixture.  Top with home fries and cheese.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until just set.  If a browner top is desired, briefly broil.  Garnish with remaining parsley.

Serves 4 to 6

Crispy Chicken with Zucchini Saute

This is a really nice crispy coating.  The original recipe call for Halibut but I changed it to chicken.

1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup panko
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
3 tbsp canola oil
2 small zucchini, cut on the bias into ovals
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 tsp chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Make a dredging station for the chicken: combine flour, chili powder and salt in a shallow bowl.  Beat egg with milk and Dijon in another bowl, and place panko in the third bowl.
3. Dredge chicken first in flour, then in egg mixture and then in panko to coat.
4. Heat 2 tbsp canola oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat.  Add chicken and fry, turning for 2 to 3 minutes or until crumbs are golden.  Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Wipe out pan and add remaining 1 tbsp canola oil and heat on medium high heat.  Add zucchini and fry for 1 minute or until just beginning to soften.  Add tomatoes and garlic; fry 1 minute longer or until they have begun to release juice.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley.
6. Serve chicken over zucchini mixture

Ginger Lemon Chicken

This sauce is out of this world delicious!  I really enjoyed the Panko crumbs as well on the chicken.  Serve with a green salad and you have a great dinner.  This is more of an adult dish with the sauce, the kids will eat the chicken though without it.  Based on a recipe from the 2014 Milk Calendar.

1/2 cup Panko Bread crumbs
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp dried minced onion
1 tbsp butter
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in 1/2
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp minced ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp cornstarch
1 cup 10% half and half cream
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
Lemon Wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with foil; butter foil.
2. In a  large dry nonstick skillet over medium high heat toast Panko, minced onion and sesame seeds, stirring for about 3 min or until golden brown.  Transfer to a shallow dish, stir in pepper and salt; set aside.  
3. Return skillet to heat and add butter; swirl to coat.  Add chicken, in batches to avoid crowding and brown for about 2 min per side.  Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet and dip both for about 2 min per side.  Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet and dip both sides in reserved crumb mixture, pressing to coat.  Transfer to baking sheet; press any extra crumbs on top of chicken.  Set skillet aside, reserving butter. 
4. Bake chicken in oven for about 20 min or until thermometer registers 170F (77c) or until no longer pink inside.
5. About 5 min before chicken is cooked, reheat skillet over medium heat until butter is sizzling; saute green onions, ginger, garlic and lemon zest for 2 min.  Whisk cornstarch into cream and stir into pan; stir in soy sauce.  Cook, stirring for about 3 min or until bubbling and slightly thickened.
6. Spoon sauce onto plates; top with chicken and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over top.