Brie to the Rescue

The Ingredients (for 3 servings):

• 4 cloves of garlic
• 450 g (1 lb) of boneless chicken thigh meat
• 320 g (12 oz) of mushrooms 
• 1 bunch of chard
• 1 bunch of scallions
• 170 g (6 oz) of Brie
• 60 ml (¼ cup) of cooking sherry
• 5 g (2 teaspoons) of black pepper
• cooking grade olive oil

The Method:

1. Peel and finely dice the garlic.
2. Wash the chicken and the vegetables and chop them into bite-size pieces.
3. Cut the Brie into thin slices.
4. Heat a skillet or wok on a medium high setting and add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan or the sides of the wok.
5. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and stir constantly until they absorb the oil.
6. Grind or sift the black pepper onto the mushrooms, and stir again.
7. Drizzle the sherry over the mushrooms and stir again.
8. When the mushroom pieces start to go limp, turn the heat to high, and add the garlic and the chicken pieces.
9. Stir to sear the chicken and toast the garlic.
10. Add the chard and scallions and stir briefly.
11. Turn the heat to medium low, and cover the skillet for 4 minutes.
12. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and add the Brie, stirring to distribute it through the pan.
13. Cover the pan for 3 to 4 minutes to allow the Brie to melt.
14. Stir one more time to coat the chicken and vegetables with the cheesy sauce.

The Story:

My husband was away for a few days, leaving me to try and eat what was in the refrigerator. I don't like cooking for myself alone and subsisted on nuts and granola for a while, but I kept looking at the vegetables and realizing they were about to expire. I had to do something to save them from an ignoble death, so I looked in other compartments in the fridge. I found a chunk of Brie that was not tasty enough to eat on crackers, and some frozen chicken. I thought I could make something decent.

I started with my favorite way of cooking mushrooms—sautéed in oil with black pepper and sherry—and added the other ingredients in the order that worked for optimum cooking times. The Brie was salty enough so that no extra salt was necessary and, although sub-standard on its own, totally unified the meal with its mild umami rind pieces and creamy texture. This is a dish I will make again, using fresher vegetables and a finer Brie.

I had leftovers enough for another meal or two. Just as well, because I had eaten all of the granola.

My lunch