Chicken Piccata (Lemon Chicken with Capers)

Ingredients

• 450g / 16oz chicken breast (2 large pieces), skinless boneless
• 4 tbsp flour (sub cornflour/cornstarch for GF)
• 2 1/2 tbsp parmesan , finely grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp / 15g unsalted butter

Lemon Sauce:

• 2 tbsp / 30g unsalted butter , cut into 1.5cm / 1/2" cubes
• 2/3 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice , fresh
• 3 tbsp capers in brine , drained
• 1 1/2 tsp parsley , finely chopped, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Crispy Parmesan Chicken:
2. Cut each breast into 3 pieces. Then place between 2 pieces of cling wrap or paper and pound to 1/2 cm / 0.2" thickness.
3. Drizzle chicken with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and spread with your fingers on both sides.
4. Mix flour, parmesan, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat chicken, pressing to adhere, then shaking off excess.
5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Then add butter and let it melt.
6. Place 3 pieces of chicken in the skillet. Cook 3 - 4 minutes until golden, then turn and cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove onto plate, repeat with remaining chicken.
7. Chicken Piccata Sauce:
8. Pour out and discard excess fat in skillet, then give it a quick wipe with paper towels (no need to clean thoroughly).
9. Still on medium high heat, add wine. Let it simmer rapidly until it reduces by half - around 3 minutes.
10. Add lemon and simmer 1 minute.
11. Reduce heat to low. Add cubed butter and swirl pan to make it melt but not go foamy. Sauce should be glossy, translucent and slightly thickened.
12. Stir in capers and parsley. Serve chicken with Sauce, sprinkled with extra parsley if desired!

From: https://www.recipetineats.com/chicken-piccata/

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

• 600 g / 1.2 lb scotch fillet steak / boneless rib eye (Note 1; use velveting method below for more tender beef)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil , divided
• 1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
• 300 g / 10 oz mushrooms , sliced (not too thin)
• 40 g / 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups / 500 ml beef broth , preferably salt reduced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 150 ml / 2/3 cup sour cream
• Salt and pepper

Serving: 8 - 10 oz pasta or egg noodles of choice
Chopped chives , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Use your fist (or rolling pin or mallet) to flatten the steaks to about 3/4cm / 1/3" thick. Slice into 5mm / 1/5" strips (cut long ones in half), discarding excess fat.
2. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Scatter half the beef in the skillet, QUICKLY spread it with tongs. Leave untouched for 30 seconds until browned. Turn beef quickly (as best you can!). Leave untouched for 30 seconds to brown. Immediately remove onto a plate. Don't worry about pink bits and that it will be raw inside.
4. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and repeat with remaining beef.
5. Turn heat down to medium high. Add butter, melt. Then add onions, cook for 1 minute, then add mushrooms.
6. Cook mushrooms until golden. Scrape bottom of fry pan to get all the golden bits off (this is flavour!).
7. Add flour, cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
8. Add half the broth while stirring. Once incorporated, add remaining broth.
9. Stir, then add sour cream and mustard. Stir until incorporated (don't worry if it looks split, sour cream will "melt" as it heats).
10. Bring to simmer ,then reduce heat to medium low. Once it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream (3 - 5 minutes), adjust salt and pepper to taste.
11. Add beef back in (including plate juices). Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from stove immediately. (Note 4)
12. Serve over pasta or egg noodles, sprinkled with chives if desired.

Notes

1. Best cut of beef for stroganoff - use decent to good quality quick cooking cut of beef such as:
2. boneless rib eye (aka scotch fillet), boneless sirloin, sirloin steak tips, beef tenderloin. I don't recommend: beef round steak (aka topside), skirt, flat iron, hanger. 
3. Sauce thickness: You can make sauce thinner with touch of water if you want, but DO NOT keep simmering to thicken once the beef is added, it will overcook the beef.
4. Storage - 3 to 4 days in the fridge, also freezes fine. Thaw fully then reheat carefully, being sure not to overcook the beef!

From: https://www.recipetineats.com/beef-stroganoff/

Velveting method: https://www.recipetineats.com/how-to-tenderise-beef-velveting-beef/

Tzatziki Sauce

INGREDIENTS 

• ½ cup finely grated cucumber
• 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the cucumber on a towel and gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, dill, and mint, if using. Chill until ready to use.

From: https://www.loveandlemons.com/tzatziki-sauce/