Chicken Tetrazzini, Classic Mac Salad And Mango Trifle by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients for Chicken Tetrazzini:

• 9 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2-1/4 tsp salt
• 1-1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 packet spaghetti
• 3/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  
• 1 cup grated parmesan
  
• 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
  

Method:

1. Spread 1 tbsp of butter over a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish.
2. Melt 1 tbsp each of butter and oil in a deep large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.
4. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook until pale golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
5. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool slightly.
6. Coarsely shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and into a large bowl.
7. Mean while, add 1 tbsp each of butter and oil to the same pan.
8. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until the liquid from the mushrooms separates and the mushrooms become pale golden, about 12 minutes.
9. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and saute until the onion is translucent about 8 minutes.
10. Simmer until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.
11. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl in the same pan over medium-low heat.
12. Add the flour and whisk for 2 minutes.
13. Whisk in the milk, cream, bread, nutmeg, remaining 1-3/4 tsp salt and remaining 3/4 tsp pepper.
14. Increase heat to high.
15. Cover and bring to a boil.
16. Simmer, uncovered until the sauce thicken slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes.
17. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
18. Add the linguine and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally about 9 minutes.
19. Drain. Add the linguine, sauce, peas and parsley to the chicken mixture.
20. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
21. Transfer the paste mixture to the prepared baking dish.
22. Stir the cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl to blend.
23. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.
24. Dot with the remaining 3 tsp of butter.
25. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.
    

Ingredients for Classic Mac Salad:

• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stocks celery, chopped
• 1 green capsicum
• 1/4 cup ground carrot
• 2 tbsp chopped jalapeno
  

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
3. Rinse under cold water and drain.
4. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper together in a large bowl.
5. Stir in onion, celery, green and red capsicum, carrot, jalapeno and macaroni.
6. Serve chilled.
   

Ingredients for Mango Trifle:

• 1 plain cake. sliced
• 1 packet mango jelly, foamed and cubed
• 2-3 mango, chopped
• Mango juice 1/2 cup
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 liter milk
• Cherries to decorate

Method:

1. In a cup, take custard powder and mix it well with 1/2 cup milk to form a custard paste, and keep it aside.
2. Boil remaining milk, add sugar and mix well.
3. Add the custard paste and mix well.
4. Cook the milk custard in a slow flame for 3 minutes.
5. The custard well short thicken, keep it aside.
6. To assemble the mango trifle: In a large serving bowl, layer the mango cubes.
7. Place the plain cake above the mango dice layer to form a second layer.
8. Pour the mango juice to the cake layer to make the cake moist.
9. Cover the cake with diced mango jelly to form the third layer.
10. Pour the custard over it forming the fourth layer.
11. Spread the custard all over it.
12. Refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
13. Garnish the mango trifle with fresh mango dices and cherries.