pan roast some meat
Here's a real basic pan roasting recipe that has endless variations:
Go buy some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Preheat your oven to 425. Pat them dry, salt and pepper both sides, then saute over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side in some canola oil in a skillet. Do not use a non-stick or cast iron skillet. You want to sear the meat, so look for nice browning (carmelization) on both sides. Don't force it. It may take longer than 3-4 minutes. Chicken will typically release from the pan nicely when it is ready. After the second side, pop the whole pan into the oven (make sure your pan is oven safe) for 5-8 minutes.
When done, take the chicken out of the pan, put on a plate and cover with foil or a bowl. Drain the excess fat from the pan. Don't wipe out or clean the pan!!!
Now comes the creative part. You'll need some stock, some red wine, and some seasonings. Chicken stock, beef stock, whatever. You'll probably want some aromatics, too: garlic, shallots, onions, leeks, etc. If you add aromatics, add a little extra virgin olive oil and saute them a bit. Now, add the stock, and deglaze the pan (this means to "clean" it by using the stock to scraping off all the bits of chicken stuck to the pan). Let it reduce a bit (boil off some of the liquid), then throw in some red wine. Use the good stuff. Let it reduce about half, then add some thyme or oregano or whatever seasonings you like. Now you have a great restaurant quality pan sauce for the chicken, and I promise, you will be amazed at how it tastes. Salt and pepper to taste.
If you are really feeling daring, throw in a can of petite diced tomatoes, and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour a spoonful of the sauce over the chicken and eat!
You can do this with pork or beef, too. Like I said, the technique is simple, but the variations are endless.
For valentine's day, I made my wife a variation of this using beef tenderloin. For stock I used veal demi glace, and I threw in sliced cremini, shiitake, and porcini mushrooms. The porcinis were dried, so I had to soak them in water to rehydrate them, and that water also went into the sauce. Add some good cabernet sauvignon, and you have yourself a better meal than you will find in a restaurant.
