Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This recipe is simple and benefits from use of an immersion blender. I think you can get away with not using it, as long as your tomatoes and garlic are chopped finely enough.
I've made this a couple times before and, according to a note written on the recipe from 1/27/09, "Delicious!!! Used all sauce with raviolis."
I cooked it with a chicken breast but feel free to omit.

1 chicken breast, cut into 4 pieces, salt & peppered (or more chicken if more than 2.5 people)
1 TB olive oil
large garlic clove, minced or ran through a press
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, patted dry and coarsely chopped (Trader Joe's!)
pinch of red pepper flakes (beware: this adds heat!)
1/4 cup dry white wine (we like Cavit Pinot Grigio)
3/4 cup chicken broth (try to use Swanson low sodium) or veggie broth for non-meat friends
1/4 cup heavy cream (used more like 2 TB: just add enough so you like the taste)
1/4 cup thin sliced fresh basil (or frozen pesto)

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season with s & p.

Heat oil in small saute pan over high heat.

Once hot, add chicken and saute 3 minutes on each side. Transfer with tongs to a plate.

Add garlic, tomatoes and pepper flakes, cook for a minute, stirring often.
Add wine and boil, stirring to scrape up pan bits, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add broth and any pan juices, bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. I also added a TB of frozen pesto since we don't have fresh basil.

Remove from heat, stir in cream and puree the sauce.

Serve sauce (over chicken) and pasta of your liking (ziti) and sprinkle with desired cheese (parmesan) and (optional) fresh basil chiffonade.

The taster is becoming more like the phantom gourmet as of late; he is refusing to be photographed while eating!
I was detected in this shot!