Napa Daves Cavatelli Chicken Recipes

CAVATELLI WITH MUSHROOM BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook until foaming. Add the onions, season with a little salt and saute about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Next, add the mushrooms and some salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid, about 5 minutes more. Add the peas and cook until heated through, another 2 minutes. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Cook the cavatelli pasta to al dente, 4 to 5 minutes for fresh, or according to the package instructions. Set a strainer over a large heatproof measuring cup in the sink and carefully drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the Pecorino Romano and 1 cup pasta water, whisking vigorously. Whisk in the cream. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Season with salt and add additional pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in the mushroom mixture.
• Serve immediately, garnishing with additional freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated cheese.
• Combine the 00 and semolina flours with the salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse a couple times. Add the olive oil and 1 cup room-temperature water to the flour mixture and pulse a few more times. Mix until a shaggy mass forms, then turn out onto a clean surface. Knead vigorously until the dough is smooth, elastic and bounces back when pressed, about 10 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half and work with one piece at a time (cover the other piece with a clean, damp kitchen towel). Using a bench scraper or knife, cut a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll it into a thin rope about 1/3 inch in diameter. Using the 4 fingers of your hand (no thumb), roll the rope of dough back and forth until it is a long, slender, tube-like shape (but not enclosed like a tube). Halve the pieces of pasta. Set aside on a clean towel sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat with the remaining dough. Rest the pasta for 30 minutes.
• To cook, generously salt a large pot of boiling water. Add the cavatelli and cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and use with your sauce recipe of choice.

CHICKEN AND CAVATELLI

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring the broth, bay leaf, onion, celery and carrots to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sage, salt, pepper and chicken breasts and simmer, partially covered, until just done, about 25 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts a few times during cooking.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the cavatelli until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together to form a paste. Remove the bay leaf from the pot, push the chicken to the side and then whisk the butter mixture into the liquid. Simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked cavatelli and simmer until just heated through.
• Notes: Frozen Pasta: Several brands of frozen cavatelli, flat egg noodles, and gnocchi are available in supermarkets. Unlike dried pasta, these products have an appealing doughy chew that we find just right with this type of saucy stew. Cook the frozen pasta separately according to package directions, drain, and then stir into the pot with the chicken.
• Wine Recommendation: Because this dish has no bold or assertive flavors to compete with the wine, options are unlimited: red or white, full-flavored or light-bodied. Three good choices would be a merlot or a chardonnay from California or a Meursault (also made from chardonnay) from France.

CHICKEN AND NAPA CABBAGE STIR FRY

Steps:

• Slice the chicken into thin pieces, 1/8-inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing over high heat until it begins to brown evenly. Add mushrooms and carrots and stir fry briefly, shaking the pan and tossing the chicken and mushrooms together.
• Add the cabbage and stir to combine well. Add the fish sauce and sesame oil. Cook the cabbage briefly before adding the chicken broth. Bring quickly to the boil and reduce for a moment before adding the honey, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss for another 1 minute. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir in to coat evenly. Remove from the head before the cabbage loses its crispness and color and serve.

NAPA DAVE'S CAVATELLI & CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a dutch oven or large pot, saute the onion, carrots, sage, bay leaf and optional red pepper flakes together (over medium high heat) until lightly browned. Add the chicken a few pieces at a time and continue to cook until well browned.
• Reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken broth and simmer for about 25 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the cavatelli until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• In a small bowl, stir the butter and flour together to form a paste. Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Remove about one cup of the cooking liquid and whisk into the flour mixture. Whisk this back into the pot and mix well.
• Simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the cooked cavatelli and simmer until just heated through.
• Top with parmesan cheese and minced parsley if desired.

NAPA VALLEY CHICKEN BAKE

Steps:

• Wash chicken.
• Pat dry.
• In bowl, combine the flour, oregano, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Place chicken in bowl and mix to coat chicken. This will help thicken the sauce.
• In large skillet, heat the oil.
• Brown the chicken. (I throw the remainder of the flour mixture in with the chicken in the pan so that it will thicken the sauce enough.).
• Don't cook too well as it will finish cooking in oven.
• Arrange chicken in 9-by-13 inch baking dish.
• Sprinkle with mushrooms.
• In separate bowl, mix together the sour cream and tomato paste.
• Add wine and mix until mixture is liquidy (I find a hand beater, on low, works well for this).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour mixture over the chicken.
• Bake, covered, at 350-F for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is done.
• Remove cover and cook an additional 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes for sauce to thicken.
• Serve over rice.

NAPA DAVE'S CHICKEN FAJITA RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the marinade ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combine well. Add the chicken and the vegetables.
• Let this marinate at least 15 minutes, but no more than an hour so the mix doesn't get mushy.
• Heat a large flat griddle or a large frying pan to high heat. Cook the mix in several batches so that the mixture is not crowded in the pan- it will brown much easier and taste better that way. It takes about 6-8 minutes each batch to get them noce and browned. Turn the mixture occasionally as it cooks to get the browning even.
• Add the mixture back onto a clean bowl as you cook the rest- cover the bowl with a large plate so the vegetables will continue to steam and get soft.
• Heat the tortillas as you normally do- we throw ours on the grill before we start to warm them. We then keep them in a covered bowl where they are easy to pull out to serve!
• We usually serve these family style- with the bowl of fajitas in the center of the table and everyone builds their own!

GINGER CHICKEN WITH CRISP NAPA SALAD

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or a bottle, pound each to an even ½-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt.
• In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, cilantro, cayenne and 4 tablespoons oil. Finely grate the lime zest directly into the bowl; reserve the lime. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the cabbage lengthwise, core it, then slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips. Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the cucumber slices, chives and mint leaves.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the reserved lime in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken; slice the chicken. Transfer the chicken to serving plates and slice.
• Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and serve alongside the chicken.

NAPA DAVE'S MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper until soft and fragrant (this takes several minutes).
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Now add the lime juice, chicken and rice and wait for the mixture to boil again.
• Throw the tomatoes and cilantro and turn off the heat. Season with the salt and pepper and serve.
• I like to cut corn tortillas into thin strips with scissors and spray with PAM. I then bake in a hot oven for about 15 minutes until well toasted and sprinkle on top of the soup to serve!