Piccata Pairs Perfectly With Rice, Pasta

Becky Dunning has thrived in her first year as managing director of Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Hawaii’s only professional children’s theatre.

As managing director, Dunning is a member of HTY’s unique three-way management structure, which places the managing, artistic and drama education departments on equal footing. She leads alongside artistic director Eric Johnson and drama education director Daniel A. Kelin II, focusing on the business aspect of running the theatre.

Dunning is more enthusiastic than ever about helming the superb children’s theatre, and says, “Live theatre has always been an important part of my life. I want to make sure that Hawaii’s children can enjoy the magic of live performance for generations to come.”

Dunning and her team at HTY have just announced the theatre’s 58th season, “A Collection of Classics.” An eclectic offering of classic stories and literature from Hawaii and abroad, the season kicks off in August with a romp through Ming Dynasty China in Five Chinese Brothers; for Halloween, Spooky is an assortment of tales;

Christmas Talk Story; and starting the New Year, Rap’s Hawaii returns for a command performance. Musubi Man, a local-style adaptation of the classic Gingerbread Man tale, in February; and the world premiere of the Newbery Award-winning story Call It Courage. The season wraps with a staged presentation of Charlotte’s Web. For more information, call 839-9885, go online to htyweb.org.

This column is dedicated to Dunning.

Here’s an elegant dish that can be served with vegetables, rice or pasta. If you are watching your carbs, serve with a lettuce and tomato salad with vinaigrette dressing.

CHICKEN PICCATA

* 4 chicken breast filets (skin removed), pounded thin
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* seasoned flour ( mix 2 cups flour with 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, salt, to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)

Heat olive oil in a pan. Coat chicken in seasoned flour, shaking off excess flour and add to pan. Sauté on one side until lightly browned and turn over and sauté until other side is lightly browned and cooked through.

Arrange chicken on plate and pour sauce over. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Makes four servings.

For Sauce:

* 2 tablespoons white wine
* 1/2 cup vegetable stock
* 4 tablespoons capers (rinsed well)
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
*1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

In small saucepan, bring white wine, stock, capers and lemon juice just to a boil. Add butter, shaking pan slightly until butter melts.