Friday, January 28, 2011

FFwD - Chicken b'Stilla


This dish surprised me!  I was ready to dislike it!  Each of the components were good but when you put them together I was prepared for a dessert like taste that didn't fit with chicken.  Instead the spices and small amount of sugar enhanced the chicken and made a delicious and satisfying dinner.  

I opted to make individual b'stillas since there were only two of us.  I prepared four individual b'stillas and put two in the freezer unbaked.  I'm eager to see how they turn out.  Any thoughts on whether I should defrost before baking?  Oh, one more thing...I used only a top crust.  It just felt right...and it was!

A funny thing that illustrates the difference between the food obsessed (me) and those who simply enjoy a good meal (my friend and frequent FF guest).  As I'm making the salad I ask "Which do you think would be better.......a sweet raspberry vinaigrette to complement the b'stilla or a tart basalmic vinaigrette to contrast with the sweetness of the b'stilla?"  She gets a deer in headlights look on her face and starts laughing.  She decided to leave it to me and I decided on the raspberry vinaigrette.  We agreed it was a good choice!

We enjoyed a Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer with dinner and Caramel Topped Semolina Cake for dessert.  This was a FF recipe the group made before I joined.  I have some catching up to do!  This cake was much better after setting for several hours.  My son had a slice when it had just cooled and the texture was confusing........not cake like but not flan like either.  After a couple more hours it was firm and with exactly the right sweetness when paired with whipped cream and fresh blueberries.

13 comments:

  1. I think you had the right idea making individual servings. It was a bit awkward to serve, (maybe since my sauce didn't set?) and I think it would be great in individual servings.

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  2. Making individual portions was a good idea. Your salad, wine and cake sound like perfect pairings.

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  3. I have unbaked b'stilla in the freezer too. We should compare notes how well they fare! :)

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  4. Looks great! It will be interesting to hear how the frozen one bakes up. I would think that you would want to bake it from frozen.

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  5. Like the smaller sized portions. I wish I had the right equipment to do that! I would think you could bake right from the freezer as Gaaarp suggested, just bake a little longer and tent it if the top starts to get too dark.

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  6. I've been wanting to try the semolina cake, too, since I started after that. It looks delicious!

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  7. Mmmm...I want to be in Lola's kitchen right now :(. Miss you guys!

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  8. Great idea making individual ones and I'm sure they will freeze well. The Gewurzt was a good choice. I had read that either a Riesling or a spicy red would be good.

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  9. Great idea with the individual servings. More flaky crust with each bite! Keep us posted with the frozen outcome!

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  10. This dish also surprised me. My family loved it and it was even better the next day. Nice post.

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  11. I just ate, and already I'm hungry again, reading your posts! This looks sooo good!

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  12. That sounds like a wonderful meal. I'm glad to see people's catch up posts, as well. It reminds me of recipes I want to go back and try again.

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  13. I didn't think I would like this, either! :) It was really good, though. I really like the Semolina Cake, too, but for me it is more like a snack than a dessert on its own. Please post about how the frozen b'stilla turns out! I like your idea of the individual dishes.

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