Practicing For Competition – Pan Seared Chicken, Risotto, and Shrimp Louie Salad

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For our second competition practice, everyone makes the same series of recipes/ dishes. After all, we have to make this whole COOKING CLEAN & ORGANIZED a habit before you start trying to come up with your own plates.

For this practice, you will be paired with two other people (three to a team) and make two plates: pan seared chicken with a mont beurre sauce, seasoned mushroom rissoto, and Shrimp Louie – a composed salad with chilled, poached shrimp and an emulsified vinaigrette.

Here are the recipes:

ENTREE: PAN SEARED CHICKEN WITH BUTTER SAUCE AND MUSHROOM RISOTTO

There isn’t really a pan-seared chicken and pan sauce recipe – it is more a technique than a specific recipe. Here is a great video on the step-by-step process you WILL be following:

For the starch, I’m looking for a mushroom risotto. Here’s the recipe:

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Mushroom Risotto

Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2½ tablespoon oil
  • 1 lb white mushrooms sliced thin
  • 1 shallot diced fine
  • ¾ cup arborio rice
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chives
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the broth over low heat.
  • In a large saucepan, heat 1½ tablespoons of oil and cook the mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes
  • Put the mushrooms and the liquid in a bowl and reserve.
  • Add the remaining 1 tablespoons oil to saute pan, and cook the onions for 1 minute.
  • Stir in the rice, coating it with oil, and toast for about 2 minutes.
  • When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed.
  • Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Taste test the rice – it should be soft with just a touch of bite in the center.
  • Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, and parmesan.
  • Stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You will notice that both recipes really need some COLOR. Put these two things on a plate alone? a sea of brown…. unappealing.

The garnish I’m leaving up to you. Come prepared with some options. Fresh herbs are always a good idea. But that only adds GREEN. Maybe some julienned carrot, dipped into boiling water to soften then chilled in an ice bath? Give the carrots a nice spin in the saute pan with a little butter, and garnish? Sounds deliviousness.

Shrimp Louie Salad

For the appetizer, you will be making a version of Shrimp Louie – a famous salad from the 1900’s that originated in San Fransisco. You will need to master an emulsified vinaigrette. Use this recipe (but cut in half first – you shouldn’t make 2 cups of vinaigrette for two salads!)

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Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword Culinary 2, Dressings
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Honey
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon White Wine or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Teaspoon Chopped parsley
  • 1 Teaspoon chopped Thyme stems removed
  • ½ Teaspoon Lemon Zest
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Whisk all ingredients together (with the exception of EVO)
  • Add EVO in steady stream while whisking to emulsify.

Shrimp will be the star of your appetizer. Use this recipe:

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Poached Shrimp

Course Technique
Cuisine American
Keyword Culianry 3, Seafood

Ingredients

  • 6 extra large shrimp
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 8-10 peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • large handful of fresh parsley stems

Instructions

  • Fill a 2 quart saucepan 3/4 full of water.
  • Add salt. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pot and add the peel and flesh once squeezed. Add the peppercorns, parsley, salt, and bay leaf..
  • Bring the pot to a rapid boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.
  • Remove from the heat.
  • Add the shrimp. Stir. Put the lid on the saucepan. Cover the pot. Let sit for 4 minutes, until shrimp are opaque, pink, and semi-firm.
  • Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath: In a large bowl put two cups of ice cubes and fill halfway with cold water.
  • When shrimp are cooked, drain off the hot liquid and transfer shrimp (but not the aromatics) to the ice bath. Let them sit in there for a few minutes to fully cool off before draining.
  • Peel and use in shrimp cocktail or in salads (or wherever you might want to use cooked, chilled shrimp).

Pretty easy, right? Just artfully arrange some salad greens on a plate, pile on three shrimp per serving, and drizzle with dressing.

Wait!

In classic Shrimp Louie fashion, you can (and SHOULD!) add some additional ingredients – at least TWO. Here are a few options I highly recommend – though you are free to use your own judgment:

The traditional add-ons:

  • Parboiled and shocked green beans
  • Soft boiled eggs

The non traditional add-ons:

Parboiled and shocked asparagus – make sure you don’t overcook it and turn it slimy!

  • Avacado
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Radishes
  • Hand-torn, rustic croutons

Don’t forget some colorful garnish! Brunoised red pepper (show off those knife skills), fresh herbs, or maybe some fresh lemon?