I am usually not a fan of "faux" anything...especially meats. They typically impart a distinct taste that is truly offputting to me. Fake bacon is the worst! I would probably give a kidney (or at least offer it) to someone who could invent a true to taste bacon substitute. Tasty veg chicken nuggets are usually pretty easy to find. I figure by the time that chicken graduates to the nugget stage, there's not much real chicken left anyway so fake nuggets can't be too far off the real ones. My children love the chicken made by Gardein, Boca and Quorn...slathered in ketchup, of course. I was never a huge fan of real chicken, so finding a good nugget hasn't been top of my bucket list. But...I truly love chicken piccata. Golden, crispy and oh, so yummy with it's subtle hint of wine and lemon, it was nearly always my Italian restaurant entree of choice. Taking meat out of my diet has been an adventure in recreating my favorite dishes. I have finally found a chicken piccata recipe that I love. (smiles)
Gardein Chicken Piccata on Crispy Italian Noodle Cake
with Lemon-Garlic Tatsoi
For the Noodle Cakes:
Cook per package directions 8 oz. of angel hair pasta (regular white pasta is best here). When al dente, drain noodles and pack into 4 round-bottomed containers, approximately 1/2 inch thick (see photo above). Alternately, you could use a hamburger press, but you would need one for each noodle cake to be stored. Let cool in fridge 4-6 hours or better yet, over night and the noodles will form a compressed cake o' noodles.
Cook noodle cakes until brown and crispy in olive oil- sprayed skillet, topping each with salt and pepper while cooking.
For the Gardein Chicken Piccata:
(4) Gardein brand chicken scallopini, thawed
1/4 c. flour
2T. chicken seasoning (I used McCormick brand Montreal Chicken Seasoning)
2 T EnerG Egg Replacer (or if you MUST, use 2 egg whites)
1/4 c. water
3 T panko bread crumbs
3 T regular unseasoned bread crumbs
2 t. garlic powder
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. olive oil
1 T. vegan butter substitute (I ALWAYS use Earth Balance brand)
Mix together flour and chicken seasoning in a shallow plate. In another plate mix together egg replacer and water, stirring until dissolved. In yet another plate, mix panko, bread crumbs, garlic powder and parsley. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, then egg replacer mixture, then crumb mixture. Repeat for all chicken pieces. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet on med-high and lightly sprinkle salt on the pan while heating.When heated, add the Earth Balance and the olive oil, heating 1 minute more. Add the breaded Gardein chicken and brown on both sides. Set aside and keep warm until ready to use.
For the Mushrooms:
8-10 medium cremini or baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean and thickly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1. T Earth Balance
Lightly salt a skillet (again) while heating to med-high. Add the Earth Balance, heat 1 minute more, then add garlic and mushrooms, sauteing until slightly browned and soft. Again, set aside and keep warm.
For the Lemon Garlic greens:
4 Large handfuls raw tatsoi greens or spinach
1/4 c. vegetable broth
1 t. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
Heat veg broth and olive oil over med-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, being careful not to let burn. Add greens, a handful at a time, turning until bright green and barely wilted. Remove from heat.
For the Piccata Sauce:
1/2 c. good quality white wine (one that you would drink)
2T Earth Balance
1/4 c vegetable broth
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1T. non-GMO cornstarch
3T. cold water
In the same pan where you cooked the chicken, deglaze the pan with the wine over med heat, allowing the wine to reduce by half, approximately 8 minutes. Add veg broth and reduce heat to low. Mix the corn starch and cold water in a cup until dissolved. Add to the reduced wine, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly shiny. Add lemon juice, 1 t. at a time until desired tartness is reached.
To plate:
Divide wilted greens into 4 equal portions and make a "bed" on each plate. Top with a noodle cake, then chicken, then mushrooms, then spoon sauce over. Enjoy!
Serves 4 generously.
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