Naked Picatta with Zucchini Goat-Boats


This meal is a good example of something that I thought could never get better with the current changes to my diet. Boy, was I wrong. By swapping out the flour with some Emerill's seasoning, we discovered how truly delicious a spicy picatta sauce can be. I ran into the same thing with these zucchini boats. Nowadays the cheese department is overflowing with alternatives to cow's milk. When I saw a goat's milk ricotta, I immediately recalled this tasty number. Whether I go back to cow's milk or not, these boats have been forever goatified! In some ways I'm really starting to like this diet because it's forcing us to get out of culinary ruts and truly stretch ourselves. We can't wait to see where else it takes us! Chicken Picatta: 3- 4 chicken breast fillets 2 tbsp. Emerill's seasoning 2 tbsp. capers 1/2 lemon, juiced 1/2 cup white wine Fresh parsley Salt and Pepper Zucchini Goats: 2 medium-sized zucchini 1/3 cup goat cheese ricotta 2 tbsp. crumbled feta 1 tbsp. grated manchego 2 tbsp. basil, chopped 1 tbsp. parsley, chopped 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 tbsp. warm water Red pepper flakes Salt and pepper Fresh nutmeg, grated Put the thinly sliced chicken fillets on a plastic cutting board and top with a piece of saran wrap. Pound lightly with a heavy bottomed pan until the chicken is evenly flattened. Season with the Emerill's seasoning and some salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. Deglaze the pan with white wine and the lemon juice. Once it's cooked down, add the capers and return the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes more. Top with parsley and serve. For the goat-boats, mix the ricotta, feta, manchego, lemon juice, and water in a small bowl. Add the herbs, red pepper, salt and pepper. Fill the hollowed out zucchini with the mixture and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Bake in a 425˚ oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. For a golden top, broil on high for a few minutes more.