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LIGHT & LOCAL |
| • | Chef Nobu shares his food philosophy |
Memories of a precious moment in time drift back every Mother's Day. I can vividly picture that morning when my son, Mark, gave me one of the best Mother's Day presents I've ever received. He was just 6 years old when he surprised me with a beautiful breakfast tray. Early that morning, he got up on his little stool and prepared scrambled eggs and toast. The toast was a little burned and the eggs were a bit rubbery, but it was the best breakfast I ever had. He even remembered to put some weeds in a bud vase.
Why not do the same thing for your mother or that special someone on Mother's Day and cook something at home? I was inspired by Food Network's "Everyday Italian" when Giada De Laurentiis prepared chicken florentine and cannellini beans with herbs and prosciutto. The best part of the show was seeing my former student, Kailua Barber, as Giada's guest. He is now an accomplished makeup artist and photographer in Hollywood. Even when he attended Kalaheo High School, he showed great talent in the arts.
As a mother, I am grateful for having a wonderful son. Now, he surprises me with eggs Benedict and scones. The bud vase has been filled with roses. As a teacher, I am fortunate that I still hear from some of my students. All these children have filled my life with such fond memories.
CHICKEN FLORENTINE A LA DEVENOT
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to lightly coat. Spray the olive-oil spray into a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown (about 10 minutes) remove the chicken from the skillet; place on a plate and cover it with aluminum foil to retain the heat.
Spray the olive oil into the same skillet, and saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the wine and increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil to reduce liquid by half. Add the fat-free half-and-half and boil the sauce for three minutes. Sprinkle in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat all sides with sauce.
In another large skillet, spray olive oil and melt butter. Add the spinach, saute until it is heated and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the spinach on a platter and cover it with the chicken and sauce. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings.
Here's a hearty salad that could serve as a centerpiece for a light lunch or be served alongside the chicken.
HERBED WHITE BEAN SALAD
Spray the surface of a large heavy skillet with olive-oil spray. Saute the garlic for approximately 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the sage and thyme. Add the tomatoes, increasing the heat to medium-high for 2 minutes. Add the beans. Simmer this mixture for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the bacon and season with salt and pepper. On a platter, arrange the mixed greens and spoon the beans over them and serve.
Serves 4-6.
For the chocolate mousse pie below, I use Madhavi Organic Agave Nectar (found at the health-food store) or you can use organic honey.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE
Place tofu in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the honey and blend again. Add the cocoa powder and extract, and blend again. Place into graham cracker crust, cover, and refrigerate. Top it off with whipped cream and strawberries or raspberries.
Makes 8 servings.
Want a local recipe lightened up? Write Light & Local, Taste Section, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or taste@honoluluadvertiser.com. Carol Devenot is a Kaimuki-raised kama'aina, teacher and recipe consultant, and author of "Island Light Cuisine" (Blue Sea Publishing, paper, 2003). Learn more at www.islandlightcuisine.com.
