Skillet Chicken Meatballs with Mustard-Wine Sauce

I have a few meatball recipes to share. They are always a crowd-pleaser in my house and are a wonderful weeknight meal.

My husband and I are huge fans of mustard chicken so I was thrilled to see a mustard chicken meatball recipe! 😉 The recipe was adapted from Tieghan Gerard’s halfbakedharvest.com via The New York Times, contributed by Julia Moskin.

We ate the dish with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the indulgent sauce. Amazing.

Yield: Serves 4 (15 to 20 meatballs)

• 1 pound ground chicken (I used 92% lean)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 5 T panko bread crumbs
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for your hands
• 2 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 8 ounces shiitake (tough stems removed) or 10 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 3 packed cups)
• 2 T salted butter
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 T fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (or milk of your choice)
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• crusty bread, for serving, optional

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, panko and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
2. Using a cookie scoop, ration the mixture into 1-inch portions, making 15 to 20 meatballs.
3. Coat your hands with a bit of olive oil, then roll each scoop into a 1-inch ball, placing them on a plate.
4. Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet with a silicone frywall insert to contain spatters.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large plate, reserving the fat in the skillet.
6. Add the meatballs to the same skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning every couple of minutes, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to the plate with the bacon.
7. Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
8. Add the butter, shallots, thyme and a pinch each of salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden brown and the shallots have softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute more. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the plate with the bacon and meatballs.
10. Pour the wine and 1/2 cup of water into the skillet. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until reduced slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes.
11. Whisk in the cream and mustard.
12. Return the bacon, meatballs and mushroom mixture to the skillet and simmer over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water if needed to keep the liquid saucy.
13. Garnish with additional thyme.
14. Serve from the skillet- placing the meatballs on plates and spooning the sauce over them.

Stovetop Mushroom Lasagna

This easy and creamy vegetarian stovetop lasagna was very well received by my family. 😉 The original recipe said that it wasn’t as pretty as a typical baked and layered lasagna, but I thought that it looked pretty appealing.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Sarah Jampel. I increased the amount of mushrooms and garlic. I also used no-boil lasagna noodles. It is a perfect weeknight dish.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 5 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 12 to 16 oz mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, shiitake, and/or crimini), trimmed, cut or torn into 1″ pieces (I used stemmed & quartered cremini mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 T thyme leaves
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or chopped
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 2 3/4 cups whole milk
• freshly ground black pepper
• lemon zest, plus wedges for serving, optional
• 1/3 cup crème fraîche or thinned sour cream
• 8 to 9 oz regular lasagna noodles, broken in half (no-boil okay)
• 4 to 5 oz mozzarella, thinly sliced
• finely grated Parmesan, for serving

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large high-sided ovenproof skillet (preferably with a lid) or small Dutch oven over medium-high. (I used a large, wide enameled cast iron pot.)
2. Add mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; mix in thyme.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot and garlic cloves in the bowl of a mini food processor.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until starting to soften, about 1 minute.
5. Sprinkle flour over and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute.
6. Add milk, pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 3/4 cups water, then finely grate zest of 1/4 lemon into pan. Stir to dissolve flour, increase heat to medium, and cook until gently bubbling.
7. Reduce heat to low, whisk in crème fraîche (or sour cream), and stir to combine.
8. Add about one third of noodles, pushing down into sauce to submerge, followed by a third of the mushrooms.
9. Repeat with half of remaining noodles and mushrooms.
10. Top with another layer of noodles. **Set remaining mushrooms aside.**
11. Cover with a lid or foil and cook 15 minutes. (If lasagna threatens to boil over, use very lowest heat and/or prop open the cover.)
12. Uncover; cook, gently lifting and separating noodles occasionally with tongs or a spatula to let sauce flow around, until sauce is thickened and noodles are cooked through, 6–10 minutes. Mixture should be bubbling gently; adjust heat as necessary. Remove from heat.
13. Heat broiler. Top lasagna with mozzarella and reserved mushrooms.
14. Broil until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, about 2 minutes.
15. Finely grate more lemon zest over. Sprinkle with Parmesan; season with pepper.
16. Let sit 5–10 minutes. Cut lemon into wedges, if desired, and serve with lasagna.

Italian Sausage & Mushroom Ragu with Pappardelle

I love Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street television show and cookbooks. I recently joined their mailing list too. I have received a million emails from them since about offers and products, etc., but getting recipes like this one makes it worth the spam. 😉

This was our Election Day comfort food meal. It was quick and absolutely delicious. Perfect. The recipe was inspired by chef Vitaly Paley of Portland, Oregon, via 177milkstreet.com, contributed by Julia Rackow. I used cremini instead of portobello mushrooms and modified the proportions. I loved how the mushrooms lightened up the meaty sauce.

Yield: 6 servings

• 2 T salted butter
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped or portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed, caps finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, preferably bulk (I used sausage links and removed the casings)
• 1 cup full-bodied, dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 14 1/2 to 16 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 16 oz dried pappardelle or tagliatelle
• minced fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
• grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

1. Finely chop the garlic and mushrooms in a food processor.
2. In a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the butter and garlic until the butter has melted and the mixture has begun to sizzle. (I used a wide enameled cast iron pan.)
3. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and the shallots have softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and breaking the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any accumulated fat, if necessary.
5. Increase to medium-high and add the wine. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the broth, cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Continue to simmer until the broth has reduced by about half, 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the tomatoes and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
8. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, covered.
9. While the sauce simmers, in a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
10. Add the pasta and 2 tablespoons of salt and cook until the pasta is al dente.
11. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking (pasta) water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot or a serving dish.
12. Add the sauce to the pasta (I layered it) and toss to coat. If needed, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. (I did not add pasta water but kept it to add when reheating the leftovers.)
13. Serve garnished with parsley. Pass grated Parmesan at the table, as desired.

Creamy Bucatini with Crispy Mushrooms

As in my last post, this wonderful dish is also part of Bon Appétit’s Most Popular Recipes of 2019. I made this and several other dishes on the list before it was compiled- apparently I was not alone! 😉

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Andy Baraghani. I added garlic and white wine. Yummy comfort food.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces (I used 10oz quartered cremini and 8oz torn shiitake)
• Kosher salt
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb spaghetti or 12 oz bucatini
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt.
3. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and mushrooms and more salt.
4. Finely chop the shallots and garlic in a mini-food processor, if desired.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
7. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream, white wine, and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid.
8. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, 1/2 oz Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine.
10. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Adjust consistency with additional pasta water, if needed.
11. Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan and parsley, as desired.

Mushroom Bourguignon with Polenta

For Christmas, my brother and sister-in-law gave me a beautiful box loaded with goodies from Eataly in New York City. I chose this vegetarian version of this classic French dish to make with the special polenta from my box.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used a combination of cremini and shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms are cooked until they are dark brown, giving the dish a wonderful depth of flavor. I also loved the combination of pearl onions and leeks. Nice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 6 T butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed (I used 3 T each)
• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake or oyster, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 10 cups)
• 8 ounces peeled pearl onions (2 cups), larger ones cut in half (I used frozen pearl onions)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large leek or 2 small/medium leeks, white and light green parts, diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves (2 to 4 minced, 1 grated to a paste)
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 ½ T all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups dry red wine
• 1 ½ cups beef, mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 T tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste (I used dark soy sauce)
• 3 large fresh thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 to 4 ounces shiitake, chanterelle or oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• smoked paprika, for serving
• polenta, egg noodles or mashed potatoes, for serving (I used Polenta Valsugana)
• chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving

1. Add 2 tablespoons butter or oil to a large Dutch oven or pot and set it over medium heat.
2. When the fat is hot, stir in half the mushrooms and half the pearl onions. (If it doesn’t all fit in the pot in one layer, you might have to do this in three batches, rather than two.) Without moving them around too much, cook the mushrooms until they are brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Stir and let them brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more.
3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mushrooms and onions to a large bowl or plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons butter and the remaining mushrooms and pearl onions, seasoning them as you go.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add another 1 tablespoon butter or oil to pan.
6. Add leeks and carrot and sauté until the leeks turn lightly golden and start to soften, 5 minutes.
7. Add the 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute longer.
8. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
9. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add wine, broth, 1 tablespoon tamari, thyme and bay leaf, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of pot.
10. Add reserved cooked mushrooms and pearl onions back to the pot and bring to a simmer.
11. Partly cover the pot and simmer on low heat until carrots and onions are tender and sauce is thick, 30 to 40 minutes. (Meanwhile, at this point, prepare the polenta according to the package directions, if using.)
12. Taste and add more salt and tamari if needed. Stir in the grated garlic clove.
13. Just before serving, heat a small skillet over high heat and add 1/2 tablespoon butter or oil. Add half of the sliced chanterelles or oyster mushrooms and let cook without moving until they are crisp and brown on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika. Repeat with remaining butter and mushrooms.
14. Serve mushroom Bourguignon over polenta, noodles or mashed potatoes, topped with fried mushrooms and parsley.

Ina Garten’s Wild Mushroom & Farro Soup

Wow. I absolutely loved this earthy, rich, and full-flavored soup. I doubled the recipe to freeze a batch to serve for lunch on Thanksgiving Day. (I trusted Ina Garten enough to double the recipe the first time I made it!) 🙂

This recipe is from Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, via thekitchn.com. I increased the amount of garlic and incorporated homemade turkey stock. I served it with sliced sourdough baguette and green salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette. Wonderful.

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 1/2 oz dried wild mushrooms, such as morels or porcini
• 3 T good olive oil
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) peeled carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) celery (3 to 5 stalks)
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup pearled farro (5 ounces)
• 12 oz fresh cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems discarded, 1/4-inch-sliced
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T dry Marsala wine, divided
• 1 quart chicken, turkey, or beef stock
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz crème fraîche
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Place the dried mushrooms and 6 cups of water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the garlic and farro and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the cremini mushrooms and the 1/2 cup Marsala and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms have released some of their liquid.
5. Meanwhile, strain the dried mushrooms through cheesecloth, reserving the liquid.
6. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot, along with the strained soaking liquid, beef broth, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
7. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes, until the farro is tender. Discard the thyme bundle.
8. In a small bowl, mash together the flour and butter and stir into the hot soup. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the crème fraîche and remaining 2 tablespoons of Marsala, and taste for seasonings.
9. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

Note: Be sure to buy “pearled” farro; regular farro takes much longer to cook.

Make ahead: Prepare the soup completely. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat before serving.

Vinegar Chicken with Crisp Roasted Mushrooms

It’s all about the sauce for me, and it’s all about the sauce in this dish. I try to adapt most skin-on chicken recipes to use my go-to protein, boneless, skinless, chicken thighs, but the skin is essential in this preparation.

This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Alison Roman. I used red wine vinegar and stock in the sauce and also added garlic. We ate it with a giant green salad instead of the lemon-dressed lettuce in the original recipe but I included the gem lettuce option below.

I served this tangy chicken and roasted mushrooms with crusty sourdough baguette (to soak up the sauce), roasted potatoes, and a dollop of Greek yogurt. Amazing!

Yield: 6 servings

For the Chicken:

• 3 1/2 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken (use any combination of legs, thighs or drumsticks, or breasts halved crosswise)(I used 8 bone-in chicken thighs)
• Kosher salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 medium red onions, cut into 1-inch wedges
• 8 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar or white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
• 1/2 bunch thyme, plus leaves for garnish

For the Roasted Mushrooms:

• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, maitake, button, chanterelle or oyster, torn into large pieces or quartered (I used 24 oz cremini mushrooms and 10 oz button mushrooms, quartered)
• 3 T olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Lemony Salad Greens with Sumac & to Serve:

• mesclun salad greens or 2 to 3 heads Little Gem lettuces, ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 T finely grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt and ground pepper
• sumac, for sprinkling
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• crusty bread, for serving
• Greek yogurt, labneh, or sour cream, for serving

1. Dry chicken with paper towels and season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. (I used a large and wide enameled cast iron pan.)
3. Working in batches, add chicken skin-side down and cook until skin is golden brown and releases easily from the pot, 7 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken to brown on the other side, another 4 to 8 minutes, depending on what cut you’re using. As the chicken browns, transfer it to a large plate.
4. Add onions and garlic to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook, without moving them so they have a chance to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add vinegar and stock/water, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
6. Bring to a simmer and return chicken to the pot, skin-side up, nestling all the pieces in there. (They don’t need to be totally submerged.) Scatter thyme around and place the lid on top. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook at a gentle simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender, with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, roast the mushrooms. Heat the oven to 425 or 450 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
8. Toss mushrooms with olive oil on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once or twice, until the mushrooms are deeply browned and crispy on the outside but tender on the inside, 15 to 20 minutes depending on the type of mushroom and strength of your oven. (I roasted potatoes in the same oven.)
9. If serving the salad, toss Little Gems with lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper and arrange on a large platter. Sprinkle with sumac and drizzle with olive oil before serving. (I served the chicken with green salad instead.)
10. Remove chicken from heat and season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper as needed.
11. Transfer chicken, onions and thyme to a large serving platter, spooning cooking liquid over the top, or alternatively, serve directly from the pot, with the mushrooms and salad alongside you like. Add toast and something creamy if you choose.

Additional Suggestions to Complete the Meal:

• Bread: Slice any good, crusty loaf of your choosing about 3/4-inch thick and toast until golden brown. Rub with a cut garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil. Garlicky or spicy bread crumbs would also be welcome if you’re feeling carb-inclined. I served the dish with sliced sourdough baguette.
• Something creamy: Chicken loves more fat, especially this very tangy chicken. A bowlful of any seasoned creamy ingredient like sour cream, full-fat yogurt or labneh sprinkled with chives is excellent for spooning onto or underneath the chicken, over lemony lettuces and onto toast. I served the chicken with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
• Quick pickles: For a quick, light pickle, toss thinly sliced vegetables such as radishes or fennel with a little thinly sliced shallot and season with a good splash of vinegar, salt and pepper.