Love in the Kitchen

Once upon a time a dear sister in-luv took her sister in-luv to a favorite restaurant. "You must try this pasta dish, dear sister in-luv, you will love it" she said.  The dish was tried, tears of joy fell, addiction followed, and then both sister in-luvs were sad. The latter because she did not have this delectable pasta anywhere near her kingdom and the former because now whenever her sister in-luv came to visit they would never eat anywhere but the place with the intoxicating pasta dish.
The End.

True Story.

Becky and the restaurant Kruse and Meur are responsible for this crazy pasta dish obsession I have.  The Dish is their Michigan Pasta.  The Goodness in it is linguine, dried Michigan cherries, green beans, mushrooms, walnuts, and chicken all in a plate-lickingly-good dijon cream sauce.  Isn't that brilliant? 

So, I'm on pinterest the other day and I see this Dijon Chicken Linguine with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds and I almost cried- it looks like my beloved pasta!  It's from this guy and his Newfoundlandian (no, I don't think that is a real word) kitchen over at rockrecipes.blogspot.com and I am just so so grateful.

I made it tonight (along with chili for the rest of the fam, since they just don't appreciate foods like this the way I do) and it IS what I've been dreaming of. 
His recipe does not call for green beans or cherries and he uses almonds instead of walnuts but other than that it is spot on.

South Beach adjustment: I served the sauce over chicken instead of pasta and left out the cherries. 

Dijon Chicken Linguine with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Toasted Almonds
1 package linguine, cooked
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chanterelle mushrooms (my store was out so I used regular old white mushrooms- still delicious!)
1 cup fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup dried cherries, if using
3 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to season
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (I used walnuts)

Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed frying pan over medium low heat.  Add chicken breasts, garlic, season with salt and pepper and continue to fry the chicken until completely cooked. 
Remove chicken from pan and hold in a warm oven.

Add to pan:
Fresh green beans and mushrooms (and cherries)
4 oz white wine, I used chardonnay

Simmer until volume is reduced by half.
Then add:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat a metal spoon.  Return chicken to the sauce.  Serve over noodles and top with nuts.

And they will all live happily ever after.

Garlic has been cooked in the oil and chicken juices and in go the veggies.

Wine is added and reduced.

Yay!  Cream!

Yes, there really is chicken in there, somewhere deep below all that delicious goodness!