Family Dinner with JP

At the suggestion of my friend Justin, I subscribed to Bon Appetit for some inspiration. It's been years since I've subscribed to any cooking magazines, my last being Gourmet magazine which ended as a collection of aspirational recipes for the rich home cook, and advertisements disguised as articles (a disgusting practice I still abhor on the internet and in print). But Bon Appetit has been an incredible inspiration thus far, and the recipes are all absolutely home cook friendly (and wallet friendly). This one is ripped directly from the pages of their newest issue (though I upped the quantities of garlic and anchovy significantly). At the gentle ribbing of Anne (previously "Sporty Anne" or "The Sportress"), I decided to try something "more vegetarian." Fine fine, anchovies are not vegetarian, and I'd even recommend substituting in some tomato paste instead of anchovy if you're really that concerned/dedicated. But you'd depr...

This recipe is an adaptation of an adaptation, a remnant of a time when my brother and sister-in-law worked at a fine cuisine restaurant down Ocean City; a time when they fell in love. I like to think the original dish probably had a hand in it. Andy typically makes veal pistache, but I felt like this would serve more ubiquitously as a chicken dish. Also with less "bloo bloo bloo veal!" While I do not tend to recommend boneless skinless chicken breast (too expensive for such a flavorless cut of meat), on this occasion I actually feel like the neutrality of the cut is the perfect vehicle for the crispy breading, the creamy sauce, and the accoutrement of crispy prosciutto, sauteed mushrooms, and of course, pistachio nuts. I made this dish for an army, so I am going to scale down the ingredients for making 4-6 servings. With my family, this is a special occasion dish; rich and decadent, a long cooking time and a belly full of wine and contentment at the end...

Having a friend from Portland (which, as far as I can tell, automatically means a Portland cheerleader) means being exposed to that which is lacking in DC. When I asked my friend her stance on wings (which, to my mind, means unadorned fried chicken wings in hot sauce), she replied with, "Well, I love Ike's wings from Portland ..." It didn't take long to find a recipe for Ike's wings, and I have to admit that they sounded immediately intriguing. Living in the DC Metro Area has given me ample access to Korean and Vietnamese cuisine (do not get me started on my Pho addicition), and in general I would say that almost everything is made better by fish sauce. Unfortunately, it took me a long trek to Whole Foods to find some fish sauce, as the Soviet Safeway did not carry any of it, nor sesame seeds (though they carry ample amounts of oyster sauce ... wtf SS?). But minus an extra 15 minute walk and shop, this recipe was perfect for a weekday meal to try to impress ...