(no subject)

I just made an interesting chicken dish -- which gets quite challenging as we eat a fair bit of chicken. I thinly sliced half a white onion, thinly sliced several mushrooms (at least six), and sliced up three half chicken breasts. I sauteed the onions and mushrooms in olive oil until they were starting to brown, then added a couple of tablespoons of chopped garlic (from a jar), and sauteed a little more. I removed this from the pan, and seared the sliced chicken breasts. As they were searing I put about two tablespoons of corn starch, 1/4 cup of worchestershire sauce, 1/2 cup of merlot (specifically Arbor Crest), 1/4 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water in a bowl and wisked together. I deglazed the pan with another 1/4 to 1/2 `cup of water, added the mushrooms and onions, then put the sauce in. I simmered the mixture until the sauce was thick and the chicken was done. Yummy.

One thing of note: not all reds will work for this. It works best with a red that is predisposed to notes of blackberry, cinnamon, and clove. Taste the sauce before adding it and add a couple sprinkles of cinnamon or clove if they are missing.

S