It seems like a good time to share a recipe with you from the vault. You know that collection of recipes you regularly cook, the staples you pull out when you don’t feel like cooking but know off by heart. They are the dishes you can pretty much throw together in one saucepan, frypan or baking dish and they feed the hungry hoards with little to no complaint (the only usual complaint is that they didn’t get enough). They are not Michelin Star dishes but gee they taste amazeballs!
This dish was made for me by a gorgeous man named Steve back in the 90’s – I know it is practically medieval cookery! When he made it for me I was impressed on a number of levels. First, I was impressed he was cooking for me and not ordering take out. Second, it tasted good (really good) and third I wanted the recipe.
I must warn you this is not a dish you can serve every night and it will not fit into any healthy eating regime or diet (just look at the ingredient list!) but, it is the most mouth-watering, more-ish and sinfully delightful meal you can throw together in a rush. It has a great sauce and lots of it, but don’t worry it will be soaked up by the bed or rice you rest it on (be it on a plate or in a bowl). This is one of those dishes every son should know how to make – it should be a bachelor pad essential.
Over the years I have adjusted and tweaked the recipe (well I just can’t help myself!). Sometimes this has been because I want to make the most of the flavours and other times it is because I didn’t have the exact ingredients in the fridge or pantry and had to improvise. And to my surprise it worked.
My tips and additions are:
- If you are using Dijon Mustard, double the quantity (it is such a subtle tasting mustard you need to add more to get that mustardy kick!). Sometimes I add even more but adjust it to your taste.
- On occasion I add the following fresh herbs: 2 sprigs marjoram, 3 sprigs rosemary, 4-6 sprigs thyme and a handful of sage leaves (make sure you chop them finely and don’t include the stems).
- I regularly substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. Thighs are cheaper and flavoursome (and we know that is because of the fat content). Not that this recipe needs any more fat or calories.
- You can fill pre-baked vol-au-vents with the cooked mixture just cut the chicken into small pieces or omit the chicken all together – your vegetarian friends will love you. This makes a great houederve (use mini vol-au-vents) or entrée.
- I have also browned the halved chicken breasts (don’t dice) then placed them on a couple of sheets of filo pastry topped with a spoonful or five of the sauce and then wrapped them into a neat parcel . Pre-cook the sauce as described in steps 1 and 3 of the method then bake the filo in a 180oC oven for 15-20 mins.
- If you don’t stir the sauce while it is simmering it will develop a skin – not attractive at all.
Creamy Mustard Chicken by Steve Minahan
Ingredients:
- 1 tin Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 800g Chicken Breast, diced
- ½ carton Sour Cream
- 2 tablespoons French or Dijon Mustard
- ¾ cup Egg Mayonnaise
- 1 brown onion
- 500g button mushrooms, sliced
- sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
Method:
- Brown onion and mushroom then remove from frypan.
- Brown chicken lightly.
- Add onion and mushrooms and remaining ingredients to frypan and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stir regularly.
- Serve with rice.
Serves: 4 – 6
Complexity Rating:
– Easy peasy!
Taste Rating:
– Pleasurable!
