Food Network Monthly Cookalong: Chick'n Parmesan

One dish, that was Ryan's very favourite I think, that I have yet to make vegan is Chicken Parmesan. I just hadn't bothered for some reason. I think it was because of the mozzarella blanket on top that was synonymous with the version I was used to that kept me away. It must be because as soon as I made Miyoko Schinner's Meltable Mozzarella from her new book, Artisan Vegan Cheese, it was the first thing I thought to make. I saw Giada's recipe and that's what brought it to my mind but I went a little different than her version, closer to the version I would have made pre-vegan. A breaded chick'n cutlet (No Cluck Cutlets from Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day which was frozen so I just half defrosted it so it wouldn't overcook while being pan fried) covered in marinara sauce with mozzarella on top. I'm not including a recipe but for the cutlet, it is almost exactly what I have done before for the eggplant parmesan sandwich using panko bread crumbs for the superior crunch factor and Vegg to adhere the breading. I pan fried the breaded cutlets in olive oil and then transfered them to a sheet pan, poured a bit of sauce on top of each, a few slices of the aforementioned Meltable Mozzarella and broiled it to just melt the cheese. I didn't want to cover them with too much sauce to undo all that hard work to get the outside crispy of course and added a little chiffonade of basil on top since we have a bunch on hand and it just brightens the whole dish up. It was served up with a bit of whole wheat spaghetti with more of the marinara sauce (store bought to make this a quick weeknight supper) and some peas. It was so perfect, so close to what I remember and hit that spot perfectly. Ryan was in heaven and had a hard time walking away from the extra piece I had made for his lunch the next day (they make a great sandwich too by the way). It was crisp of the outside with the perfect panko crunch, moist and juicy on the inside thanks to Tami and Celine's perfect cutlet recipe, the mozzarella melted and gave a nice creamy addition to each bite as well. It is my new speciality that I know Ryan will be asking for again and again and I will happily oblige.

P.S. If you haven't picked up a copy of Artisan Vegan Cheese, I strongly urge you to do so! It is an amazing cookbook that I have definitely become a bit obsessed with. I rarely get a book and immediately start making things out of it. I will say this one came and I was ready. I had already ordered and received my carrageenan and made a batch of rejuvelac. I got to work quickly and made the soft gruyere. It came together so quick and easy and made an amazing addition to my baked potato. I made a batch of the Cashew Yogurt and fell in love. I made a double batch (it works perfectly by the way) within a week. I have tried so many different homemade vegan yogurt recipes and none have worked, this one is amazing! My picky mom is in love with it and she has refused to eat any vegan yogurts because they just don't taste right. This one is just the right amount of tart and super creamy. I even used my dehydrator to culture it and it worked like a charm. Another use for this once uni-tasker! The sour cream in the book is also super easy to make and super creamy and tangy. We had some tacos just last night because the sour cream was just right and demanded to be used. I won't be buying sour cream any more since this one is so quick and just three ingredients! It has become one of my favourite cookbooks and has more than just recipes for cheeses. There are loads of intriguing recipes in the book to use those perfectly crafted artisan cheeses. This one is definitely highly recommended from this (vegan) cheese lover!