Pasta A la King
This is another one that is so simple to make - I made this when we were still moving into a new place, with no refrigerator, and hardly any utensils - and my family and I were amazed at how really good it was.
This is another one that is so simple to make - I made this when we were still moving into a new place, with no refrigerator, and hardly any utensils - and my family and I were amazed at how really good it was.
- Carbohydrate 35.3339618814876 g
- Cholesterol 48.9146180528442 mg
- Fat 3.47004526999311 g
- Fiber 0.306666666666667 g
- Protein 9.16938526261156 g
- Saturated Fat 1.24595365030518 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (105g)
- Sodium 654.930224253311 mg
- Sugar 35.0272952148209 g
- Trans Fat 0.623264241119168 g
- Calories 214 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat water in a large pasta pot. Add salt.
- Slice the mushrooms, and mince the shallot. Put a saute pan on the heat and add the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the shallot, and saute, stirring occaisonally until the shallot is translucent. Add the mushroom slices, brown on both sides then add the sherry, scraping up all the good stuff on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat and let the mushrooms cook completely, stirring occassionally.
- When the water boils, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Open the can of Chicken a la King. Drain the pasta, and return it to the pot. Important:: DO NOT RINSE THE PASTA. Add the can of Chicken a la King, cheese and mushrooms. Toss and serve.
Distinguishing the Sauce
Traditional chicken à la king relies on a rich cream or velouté sauce thickened with flour and butter, whereas this rendition utilizes a prepared canned base to streamline preparation. While classic preparations often incorporate pimientos or green bell peppers, this version focuses squarely on mushrooms and shallots to build savory depth. Kitchen infrastructure demands are minimal, requiring only one large pot for boiling fettuccine and a single sauté pan for rendering the mushrooms.Pan Techniques and Fond
Combining butter and olive oil prevents the milk solids in the butter from burning during the initial shallot sweat. Cook the sliced mushrooms undisturbed for three minutes per side to develop a deep brown crust before introducing the sherry. Deglazing the pan with sherry dissolves the caramelized fond stuck to the bottom, incorporating those concentrated umami compounds directly back into the mushroom mixture.Pasta Handling
Boil the fettuccine in salted water for exactly eight minutes to achieve an al dente texture with a slight resistance at the core. Never rinse the drained pasta under running water, as preserving the surface starches allows the canned sauce and grated parmesan cheese to cling effectively to the strands.
