Braised Fennel Chicken

Braised Fennel Chicken

by | Oct 17, 2016 | CHICKEN | 0 comments

Let yourself be seduced by your dinner!  Braised Fennel Chicken is an aromatic, warming, and silky dish that is inviting and succulent.  Chicken braised with cream, fennel, wine and stock until just starting to fall of the bone is why this dish begs to be made.  Maybe not your everyday weeknight meal, but certainly perfect for the weekend. Enjoy a glass of wine and let the braise work its magic and fill the house with a subtle savoury aroma.

While raw fennel is crisp and bright with an anise taste, braised fennel is mild and tender with just a hint of anise.  Simmered with all the good things like wine and cream it’s down right delicious!  Cooking the fennel softens the anise taste and the end result is mild and rich.

I love this recipe because the chicken meat just falls off the bone and the sauce is luscious and creamy while the fennel adds a little texture.  The reality is….I could eat this every night of the week.  My waistline however will caution me otherwise!

Recipe Source:  Compelled To Cook

Braised Fennel Chicken is aromatic and warming with a silky cream sauce.
Braised Fennel Chicken
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    4 people 10 minutes
    Cook Time
    82 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    4 people 10 minutes
    Cook Time
    82 minutes
    Braised Fennel Chicken is aromatic and warming with a silky cream sauce.
    Braised Fennel Chicken
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      4 people 10 minutes
      Cook Time
      82 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      4 people 10 minutes
      Cook Time
      82 minutes
      Ingredients
      Servings: people
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Once hot add chicken pieces and sear on all sides until nicely browned, approximately 12 minutes. Remove chicken and cover with foil. Remove all but 2 tbsp of oil from skillet. Add fennel and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Deglaze pan by adding wine and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Allow to reduce for 2 minutes. Stir in mustard, stock and cream and reduce for an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to the pan, cover and bake for 1 hour.
      2. Remove chicken from pan to a serving dish and cover. Over medium high heat reduce sauce for about 3 minutes until thickened. Spoon sauce with the fennel over chicken. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve immediately.
      Squash Spice Cake

      Squash Spice Cake

      by | Oct 7, 2016 | DESSERTS, CAKES AND SQUARES | 0 comments

      Move over zucchini and pumpkin, squash takes the cake!  Finely grated butternut squash gives way to moist and tender Squash Spice Cake.  Yes, it is widely known that zucchini makes for moist muffins, cakes and loaves, but wait right there!!  What about squash, doesn’t it deserve the same recognition?  It does and as far as I’m concerned it’s very much undervalued in the cake and muffin world.  I think because we are all mildly obsessed with using zucchini and pumpkin in our baking right now we’re overlooking an equal rival. So today I bring the squash front and center in this lovely Squash Spice Cake.

      This cake is every bit as moist as its zucchini counterpart but with a subtle sweetness that zucchini lacks.  What is important in this recipe is to use a fine grater, like the one you would use to grate fresh parmesan cheese.  It needs to be quite fine in order to cook down and soften in the time it takes for the cake to bake.  A light spice and toasted hazelnuts creates interest and crunch, plus it makes the house smell wonderful.

      What I love about this recipe is the gorgeous burnished copper colour that this cake takes on.  It’s moist, tender and ready to go head to head with any zucchini cake around.   Enjoy!

      Recipe source:  Inspired by Epicurious Ginger Squash Cake with White Chocolate Frosting

       

       

       

      Squash Spice Cake is lightly spiced, moist and topped with cream cheese icing.
      Squash Spice Cake
      Print Recipe
      Lightly spiced and tender, topped with cream cheese frosting an toasted hazelnuts.
        Servings
        24 Pieces
        Cook Time
        30-35 minutes
        Servings
        24 Pieces
        Cook Time
        30-35 minutes
        Squash Spice Cake is lightly spiced, moist and topped with cream cheese icing.
        Squash Spice Cake
        Print Recipe
        Lightly spiced and tender, topped with cream cheese frosting an toasted hazelnuts.
          Servings
          24 Pieces
          Cook Time
          30-35 minutes
          Servings
          24 Pieces
          Cook Time
          30-35 minutes
          Ingredients
          Cake
          Icing
          Servings: Pieces
          Instructions
          Squash Spice Cake
          1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease a 9"x13" pan.
          2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt, set aside.
          3. Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, incorporating after each. Whisk in sour cream, orange juice and vanilla.
          4. Whisk in dry ingredients and combine until just incorporated.
          5. Stir in squash and 1 cup of the hazelnuts.
          6. Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
          Cream Cheese Icing
          1. Beat together butter, cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and 2 cups of icing sugar, beat until smooth. Spread evenly onto cooled cake and top with remaining 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts. Cut into 24 pieces.
          Recipe Notes

          Peel butternut squash then split in half lengthwise. Cut into large chunks and grate using a fine grater. It is essential to use the fine grates (like you would use to grate parmesan cheese).  The finely grated squash will cook in the time the cake takes to bake.

          The brown sugar in the icing will dissolve as it gets beaten with the cream cheese and butter.