Monday, October 12, 2009

Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream

Loved the movie, Julie and Julia and the book, My Life in France by Julia Child. and am hating the book written by the Croutons with Wonder Bread blogger who blogged about doing all of the recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year.

This chicken recipe (involving, of course, butter and cream) was requested and straight from Julia Child...here is Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise. Read entire recipe before beginning.

Dice neatly to make 2/3 to 3/4 cup:
1 medium carrot,
1 to 2 tender celery stalks
1 medium white onion

Cooked the diced vegetables slowly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 5 tablespoons of butter for about 10 minutes in a covered casserole. Vegetables should be tender, but not browned. (heavy covered fireproof casserole that will hold four supremes)

4 supremes (boned chicken breasts trimmed of icky bits (that's me...not Julia))

Rub the supremes with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Roll each supreme in the butter and vegies then cover with a buttered parchment or waxed
paper that is buttered on one side (buttered side to touch the supremes)

Place in preheated 400 degree oven.

After 6 minutes, press top of supreme with finger. If still soft, return to oven for another minute. When meat is springy to touch, it is done.

Remove supremes from pan and put on warm platter and cover while making sauce.

Sauce:

In pan in which chicken and vegies cooked, pour

1/4 cup beef bouillon (I use Campbells...uh oh...maybe I shouldn't have been snippy about
Wonder Bread croutons)
1/4 cup port or dry white vermouth

Boil over high heat until liquid is syrupy.

Stir in

1 cup whipping cream (or creme fraiche if available)

Bring to boil again and boil until cream has thickened slightly.

Off heat, taste for seasoning. Add salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice if needed)

Pour sauce over supremes, sprinkle with parsley.

Serve with little steamed or boiled potatoes.


(You could make ahead and then very gently reheat).

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