Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [171]
Variations: Substitute red wine for the white wine.
Substitute frozen okra or lima beans, thawed, for the artichoke hearts.
Substitute stemmed thyme or chopped oregano leaves for the tarragon.
Remove the chicken breasts once they’re cooked through, then stir ¼ cup heavy cream into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce slightly, just to get rid of the raw cream taste and to thicken somewhat, about 2 minutes.
Cambodian-Inspired
Chicken Curry with Lemongrass
and Coconut Milk
Cambodian curries are more subtle and aromatic than others from Southeast Asia. This dish is not terribly hot, even a little tart, and actually quite comforting. It’s best served alongside jasmine rice or over Ginger Squash Puree. Makes 6 servings
4 garlic cloves, halved
One 4-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, cut into quarters
2 large shallots, quartered
¼ cup chopped peeled fresh lemongrass (about 4 large stalks)
1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
Six 5-to 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 4 pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk (regular or low-fat)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
Place the garlic, ginger, shallots, lemongrass, vinegar, turmeric, lime zest, salt, and red pepper flakes in a large spice grinder, a large cleaned coffee grinder, or a mini-food processor. Grind or process just until finely pulverized, on the verge of turning into a paste. Alternatively (and more authentically), pulverize all the ingredients in a mortar with a pestle; start by dicing the shallots, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, then working them against the salt in the mortar before adding the vinegar, turmeric, lime zest, and red pepper flakes.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the spice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until very aromatic, about 1 minute.
Add the chicken; cook, turning often, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes.
Skim the sauce for any visible fat and stir in the lime juice just before serving.
Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Boneless
Skinless Chicken Breasts
Dried fruit and bacon are a perfect combination for chicken breasts. Makes 4 servings
¾ cup finely chopped dried apricots
½ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Four 5-to 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 bacon slices
Position the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the apricots, cranberries, rosemary, olive oil, and pepper in a small bowl.
To create a pocket in one of the breasts, put it on the work surface, smooth side up. Eye the thickest part of one of its long sides and insert a paring knife there with the blade parallel to the work surface. Slip the knife from side to side, thereby making small cuts back and forth in the meat without cutting through to the other side or out the ends. Take your time—don’t be impatient. Once you have created a slitlike pocket, repeat with the remaining breasts.
Gently pry the pockets open with your fingers, then stuff about one-quarter of the dried fruit filling into each. Wrap 2 slices of bacon completely around each breast so that the strips pass over the openings with the filling and their ends meet on the “bottom” of the breast. Place the chicken breasts seam side down in one layer in a 9-inch square baking dish or a medium shallow casserole.
Bake, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until the bacon is brown and crisp, about 40 minutes. Because of the stuffing, it’s very difficult to take