Thursday, March 14, 2013

Rosie Prepares Chicken Bosoms.

Rosie is trying to clean out her big freezer downstairs
all so Mr. Hawthorne can pack it back up
to within an inch of its life.
Helping in this endeavor
is Middle Hawthorne,
who is temporarily homesided.

 
I found a package of split chicken bosoms with ribs. 
Notice the price of three breasts.
$3.22.
Can Rosie find the deals or what?
I made swift work of these breasts.

One's best tools are one's hands.
No knives necessary to clean these.
I pulled the skin off.
Then I popped my thumb under
that long thin piece of cartilage and pulled it off with the ribs.

Save the ribs and attached meat
and pack them in your freezer bag for chick parts.
Save for a rainy day to make stock.
I don't know why,
but I always make stocks and consommés on rainy days.
If there's a thunderstorm, even better.
 Now, I'm looking at this chicken
and I'm trying to think of something different.
And I'm thinking about stuffed chicken.

Welcome to the mind of Rosie,
as the Hawthornes' lunch unfurls.
 Take out some prosciutto
and grate some mozzarella and Swiss cheeses.

Take each breast
and slice 2/3 way into it.

You're making a pocket.
Set aside.

Let's make some caramelized onions.
1/2 TB each butter and peanut oil.
HOT!
Add in onions and about a teaspoon of sugar.

Caramelize the onions.

 
Deglaze the pan with white wine.
Reduce liquid.


Tuck some prosciutto inside the chicken pocket.


Spoon in the caramelized onions.

Tuck in the grated cheeses.
Mozzarella and Swiss.
  
 Tightly tie up the chicken bundles.
Season with freshly ground salt and pepper.

 Heat your pan over medium high heat.
Add in a tablespoon each of butter and oil.
When hot, add in the stuffed chicken bundles.
 Sear four minutes on each side.

 Use a paper towel to sop up the oil and butter.

 Next I want to poach the chicken until done.
 I wanted to poach it in white wine,
but for the first time in our lives,
we were OUT of white wine.
Yeah.
Can you believe that?

 Sooo, I used some Sake.

 I added in some fresh thyme sprigs.

 Then I added some sherry.

 And enough water to bring it about halfway up the chicken.
 Turn heat on low, cover,
and simmer 10 minutes each side


 
 While the chicken is poaching,
I started prepping for my side dish.
Bok choy, chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Sesame seeds, toasted
Red onion, chopped
Sesame oil

 Roughly chop the bok choy.
Chop the onion and slice the mushrooms.

 After poaching 10 minutes each side,
remove the chicken bundles and cover
while you make the sauce.

 I strained out the thyme sprigs
and a bit of the cheese which had escaped.

 Juice and zest one lemon.

 Add in the zest.

 Add in the lemon juice.

 About a tablespoon of  Poupon Dijon.

 Add in about 3 TB heavy cream.

Simmer until reduced by half.
I use a wooden skewer and mark the level of liquid.

Enrich the sauce with about 4 tablespoons butter,
whisking in one tablespoon at a time.

 Add in some capers
and return the chicken bundles to the pan.
Cover and keep warm.

On to the side dish.
 I heated my pan and added butter
and a little sesame oil.
You don't need a lot of sesame oil.
A little bit goes a looooooong way.
Taste test.
Toss in the sliced shrooms and lightly brown.
Never salt mushrooms when you first add them in.
Salting brings out moisture 
and will cause the shrooms to sweat and steam,
not sear and brown.

 Add in the chopped bok choy.
 
 Add in the sesame seeds.
 Cook a few minutes until bok choy wilts.

 And plate.
I added the chopped raw red onion to the bok choy
and chopped fresh dill to the chicken.

 






 All three Hawthornes enjoyed this.
You will too.


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