Spark Study Buddy (Explorer): Creamy chicken, mushroom and spinach skillet lasagne
This page has an easy read with questions to test your understanding and work on your English skills.
Creamy chicken lasagne is the ultimate comfort food for fall evenings. Photo: Shutterstock Content provided by British Council
[1] Looking to enjoy the fall with a sure-to-please comfort food? This creamy lasagne, packed with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms and spinach, is the perfect choice for dinner on a weeknight or any night. This recipe serves four to six people.
[2] Ingredients
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5 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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340 grams sliced cremini mushrooms
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1 ¼ teaspoon salt
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5 cups baby spinach
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2 ½ cups shredded, cooked chicken
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1 cup chopped onion
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3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
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1 teaspoon dried thyme
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¼ teaspoon nutmeg
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freshly ground black pepper
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2 tablespoon plain flour
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3 cups whole milk
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225 grams regular lasagne noodles, broken into 2.5cm pieces
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1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
[3] Directions
Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, without mixing, for about four minutes or until they start to brown. Add ½ teaspoon salt and cook. Mix once in a while until golden brown. Transfer ½ cup of mushrooms to a small bowl. Set aside. Add the spinach to the pan and cook, mixing, for one minute. Shift the mushrooms and spinach to another bowl with the chicken. Stir to mix. Do not clean the skillet.
[4] Reduce the heat to medium-low. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in the skillet. Add the onion and cook, mixing until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, nutmeg, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Cook while mixing for one minute. Add the flour and cook, mixing, for one minute.
[5] Add milk and one cup of water. Stir to break down the flour, increase the heat to medium, and cook until gently bubbling. Add about one-third of the noodles, followed by half of the mushroom-chicken mixture. Repeat with another third of the noodles and the remaining mushroom-chicken mixture. Then, add the remaining noodles and make sure they are covered in sauce. Cover with a lid or foil and cook until the noodles are soft. Remove from heat and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, then the rest of the mushrooms.
[6] If you want the top to be browned, heat a grill. Cook until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots. If you do not need the top browned, you can cover the pan and cook over low heat for another two to three minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Source: Tribune News Service, October 7
Questions
1. In paragraph 1, how many people does this recipe serve?
___________________________________________________
2. Which ingredient is not used in the recipe according to paragraph 2?
A. chicken
B. lasagne noodles
C. baby spinach
D. button mushrooms
3. Arrange the ingredients in the order that they are cooked, from 1 to 4.
(a) cheese: _______
(b) flour: _______
(c) spinach: _______
(d) onion: _______
4. According to paragraph 6, how can you tell if the dish is done grilling?
___________________________________________________
5. Choose the correct quantifier. (3 marks)
To prepare the lasagne, you will need (i) (some / much chicken), (ii) (a few / any sheets) of lasagne, and (iii) (any / lots of ) vegetables.
6. Arrange the words below to form a grammatically correct sentence. Begin the sentence with a capital letter and end with a full stop.
dinner / perfect / is / dish / this / family / delicious / a / for
___________________________________________________
Answers
1. four to six
2. D
3. (a) 4; (b) 3; (c) 1; (d) 2
4. The cheese will be bubbling and browned in spots.
5. (i) some; (ii) a few; (iii) lots of
6. This delicious dish is perfect for a family dinner.