Monday, July 30, 2018

Chicken Lyonnaise, a Titanic Dish by Maya Corrigan





 Today we welcome special guest Maya Corrigan--don't forget to read all the way through for instructions on her giveaway!



MAYA: Thank you to Lucy and Krista for hosting me on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, my favorite site for great recipes and news about the latest mysteries. I’m excited to tell your readers about the fifth book in my series, coming out this week, S’more Murders. My sleuth, Val, can’t pass up a cool catering gig aboard a yacht. Its owner, a collector of Titanic memorabilia, asks her to re-create the final meal served to the first-class passengers on that doomed ship. As if ten courses aren’t enough, the hostess insists on adding a dish that didn’t exist in 1912—s’mores. Thanks to a squall and a killer, no one gets to finish Val's Titanic-inspired dinner, and it's the final meal for one person on the yacht.

We know exactly what the passengers ate on the day the Titanic hit an iceberg because a few survivors had souvenir menus tucked in their pockets or purses. No recipes survive from the Titanic's kitchen, but recipes from that era tend to use butter and cream liberally. Val slims down the menu to one dish per course and modifies several courses for vegetarians and calorie-watchers.  

The recipe I’m sharing is a five-ingredient version of the Titanic’s Sauté of Chicken Lyonnaise. The vinegar and onion sauce in this recipe is popular in Lyons, the gastronomical capital of France, which is renowned for its poultry.

Chicken Lyonnaise

3 tablespoons olive oil (or half oil and half butter)
1 ½ pounds chicken tenders
3 large shallots, chopped small, or a medium onion, finely diced
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)

Lightly salt and pepper the chicken pieces if desired.

Heat the oil (or oil and butter) at medium high in a skillet large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. 

Sauté the chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes until lightly brown. Turn the pieces over and sauté them on the other side for 3-4 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove the chicken and loosely cover it with foil.

Add the shallots or onions to the pan and sauté them until lightly browned.  Stir the vinegar into the skillet little by little and boil the liquid down until it’s no longer watery.

Stir in the crème fraîche or cream. Cook until the mixture is blended and has turned light brown, about 5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and heat the pieces in the sauce, rotating them to make sure all sides are in the sauce.

Serves 4.

Would you go to a dinner that re-creates the last meal on the Titanic without any qualms? Or would you be leery of tempting fate or reluctant to celebrate a tragic event? Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of S’more Murders. A U.S. winner will receive a signed paperback. An international winner will get an e-book for a Kindle or Nook. Good luck!

Maya (Mary Ann) Corrigan lives in Virginia, an easy drive from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the setting for her Five-Ingredient Mysteries: By Cook or by Crook, Scam ChowderFinal FondueThe Tell-Tale Tarte, and S’more Murders. The series features café manager Val Deniston, who solves murders with her live-wire grandfather in a historic Chesapeake Bay town. Each book has five suspects, five clues, and Granddad's five-ingredient recipes. Visit Maya’s website, mayacorrigan.com, for easy recipes and trivia about classic mysteries. She loves hearing from readers.


Visit Maya at her website or on Facebook.
Sign up for her newsletter here. 

56 comments:

  1. Henry, my 8-year-old nephew, has been fascinated by the Titanic since he was 5 years old so we've heard a lot about the ship. In fact it was the theme for his 5th birthday party & he dressed like the captain! I'd love to go to a "final meal" dinner party & I think it would be even more interesting if everyone dressed in the style of that era. lnchudej@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Linda, Henry sounds a little like my grandson, who's also fascinated by the Titanic. To research my book, I put on a Titanic re-creation dinner party. Like the characters in my book, we dressed up and assumed the parts of Titanic passengers in a role-playing murder mystery game. Everyone had a great time! Thanks for your comment. ~Maya

      Delete
  2. I would attend a final meal dinner party as long as the meal wasn’t served on a sip. Dbahn@iw.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianne, Thanks for your comment. Re-creating the final meal on a ship is definitely going overboard ;-)
      ~Maya

      Delete
  3. I would chance it :) This sounds like a fun read.
    Wendy
    clarksrfun at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, MamaHen. To research my book, I put on a Titanic re-creation dinner party, and it was great fun. Good luck in the raffle.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  4. I would love to attend a final meal dinner party since I am so interested in history and love old school and meaningful eras and celebrations. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for you comment. Everyone who came to my Titanic re-creation dinner party had a great time, and we walked away from it.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  5. An experience which would be unforgettable, special and sounds wonderful. Historical events and reenacting a final meal is so fascinating. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment. My Titanic re-creation dinner party was a night to remember and lots of fun.

      Delete
  6. I think the only problem that would come from that dinner would be from eating that many calories.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sandy, Thank you for your comment. You are so right about the calories in that dinner. Good luck in the raffle.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  7. I think it would be interesting to have the meal served on the titanic.
    judytucker1947@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Judy, Thank you for commenting. Good luck in the raffle.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  8. Will have to try this recipe. The chicken sounds delicious. I wouldn't have a problem with the menu, although it does seem a bit on the rich side. Can't wait to get this one so I can try the recipes. Thank you Maya Corrigan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for commenting, Meg. Good luck in the raffle.

      Delete
  9. Might be fun, especially with the addition of the S'Mores! No, I don't think it would be tempting fate but it would be a lot of calories. Thanks for the giveaway.
    sallycootie@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sally,
      Thank you for commenting. You're so right about the calories.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  10. That chicken recipe looks great. And, a mystery with smores in the title is irresistible. Thanks for the opportunity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for commenting. There are also recipes for variations on s'mores.~Maya

      Delete
  11. A five-ingredient recipe is perfect for me, and the Chicken Lyonaise looks absolutely delicious. My sister spent a year in Lyon during college and loved it, but we never talked about the food -- I'll have to remedy that and see if she remembers any recipes ~ Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and for your giveaway -- I look forward to reading S'more Murders! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Celia,
      Thanks for commenting. My husband also spent time around Lyon and he raves about the food.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  12. I'd go, but then I'm a fan of history. I love historical life sites and stuff like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for commenting, Nicole. I'm a great history fan too.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  13. I would love to go to a dinner that was the last dinner of the Titanic. Before my Ex and I went on our very first cruise, the night before I watched Titanic on tv. My son and his then girlfriend thought I was nuts. I've been on 7 cruises since so no bad luck. Thank you for this chance at your giveaway. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're lucky, Paula! Thanks for commenting.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  14. I would definitely attend a final meal of the Titanic. Always fascinated by Titanic and glad they found it in my lifetime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so amazing that they were able to locate it and so much of it was intact. How eerie it must have been to be there exploring it. Thanks for your comment.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  15. This chicken recipe looks delicious! I would not pass up a fine meal just because it was served on the Titanic. Heck no!
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, Pat. I agree that there's no reason to pass up a fine meal.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  16. I’d love to go to this final meal, as long as it isn’t MY final meal.😀 I’ve been lucky to visit Lyons and the food was absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :-) Good point, Laura, about the final meal. Thanks for commenting.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  17. I don't think I could do it! Although I would love to read this; haven't read any of this series yet. Thanks for the chance to win! jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for commenting, Mama Cat, and good luck in the raffle.

      Delete
  18. I would go to a dinner like that but it would be nice if they made a donation to a charity somehow related to to the ocean. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sahmy, It's interesting that you say that because in my book the subject of Chesapeake Bay pollution comes up during the Titanic dinner party, and a huge argument ensues.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  19. Sorry, but I would prefer not to go to such a dinner. It would feel a little too creepy knowing what happened to the original diners, and I doubt I'd be able to enjoy the food much! mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many people feel the way you do, Marla. Thanks for commenting.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  20. I would love to eat the food, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable celebrating a tragic event. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jana, You and Marla, who left the previous comment, agree on this. Thank you for posting a comment.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  21. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada and we have a Titanic museum in Halifax that houses items found washed ashore from the wreckage. Sounds like yummy fare!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for commenting. It's amazing how many Titanic museums there are. I've heard of the one in Halifax.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  22. Just saw this .. funny, your first 3 books are in my tbr like as of 630pm today! I spent 5 hours at the titanic museum in Branson and would go again. So yes, I would eat their last meal recreated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shelia, I'd love to visit that museum. Thank you for commenting.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  23. I would attend a final Titanic theamed meal. I think it would be interesting to see what was served in 1912. Looking forward to reading the book.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianne,
      Thank you for your comment. I'd enjoy a re-creation of a dinner from the past too.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  24. It would be an interesting dinner to attend.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Taurus,
      Yes, it would be interesting. For the characters in my book, the "interesting" meal turns out to be dangerous. Thank you for your comment.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  25. I would try this recipe and would attend a dinner featuring the Titanic menu it sounds delicious. I don't think it is tempting fate.Candykennedy45@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Candy,
      Thank you for your comment. The food would tempt me too.
      ~Maya

      Delete
  26. First I have to say I love this series and cant wait for my copy to arrive. Nope, not me. Too much tempting fate with Titanic, plus I dont like the water, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi Kay,
    Thank you for commenting. I'm thrilled you enjoy the series. Since I get seasick easily, I would think twice about a dinner like this on a private yacht.
    ~Maya

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi, Marlene Ezell here. Maybe you can solve a mystery and figure out why my phone only lets me comment as anonymous. Seriously, though, I would go to such an event. The recipe sounds deliscious especially since I am hungry.Thanks so much for the chance to win a signed paperback.
    ezellmarlene(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yes, I would. I’d have no qualms about recreating the last meal on the titanic. I think it would be fun! Thanks for the chance to win your book!
    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. When it comes to good food, I am not superstitious. Just point me in the right direction.

    libbydodd at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  31. Love your books and the recipes and would most definitely go to a recreation dinner for the titanic cause my husband and son are big titanic buffs.

    ReplyDelete