Le Printemps est arrivé / Spring has Sprung

I haven’t been a very active blogger lately. Sometimes you find yourself drawn in the every day life and at the end of the day the only thing you want to do is to get some sleep. I will try to manage my time better.
Usually on weekends I like to cook things that I have never tried before; or give a new twist to an all time favorite but without spending the whole day in the kitchen. It’s the weekend after all!

So when I saw this recipe on the May issue of Food and Wine Magazine, I knew I would give it a try. It looked mouth watering on the picture, the recipe seemed simple and quick to make and it was a healthier approach to the popular Meat Loaf. So Mini Chicken Meat Loaves were going to be our Sunday lunch. Chef Sandro Gamba served it with red pepper sauce and wild rice but not being in the mood for a sauce, I decided to serve it with braised lentils and roasted tomatoes, which worked very well.
The use of sour cream, or cottage cheese in the initial recipe, keeps the chicken meat loaf moist and because chicken is leaner and higher in protein that ground beef, you will gain in nutrition and your waistline will thank you too.

Mini Chicken Meat Loaves

Recipe: adapted from the may issue of Food & Wine magazine
- 2 tbsp extra- virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds ground lean chicken
- 2 large egg whites
- ½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- ½ cup low fat sour cream
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and the onions; season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until, stirring, until softened, about 10 min. Let cool.
In a large bowl, mix the chicken with the vegetables and the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and knead until blended. Divide between the prepared pans. Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 30 min. Serve with braised lentils and roasted tomatoes.

Mini Cakes de Poulet

In francais please: adaptee du magazine Food & wine, May 2007
- 2 c.s d’huile d’olive
- 1 carotte, finement hachee
- 1 pied de celeri, finement hache
- 1 gousse d’ail, emincee

- 1 gros oignon, finement hache
- 700g de poulet hache
- 2 blanc d’oeufs
- 100g de panko (chapelure japonaise)
- 125g de fromage frais
- 1 c.s de persil, finement hache
- Sel, poivre

Dans une poele, faites chauffer l’huile d’olive. Ajouter la carotte, le celeri, l’ail et l’oignon. Faites cuire sur feu moyen jusqu'à ce qu’ils deviennent tendres, environ 10 min. Laisser refroidir.
Dans un grand recipient, melanger la viande avec les legumes et le reste des ingredients. Assaisonner de sel, poivre et petrir jusqu'à ce que le melange soit homogene. Distribuer entre les moules individuels beurres et faites cuire dans un four prechauffe a 200C pendant 30 min. Servir avec des lentilles braisees et des tomates roties.