Valentine's Day Dinner

Spread over two days.

We had our main course on February 14th.

I made Moe one of his favourite meals.

 

Chicken Breasts Perigord

This recipe comes from Lucy Waverman's

1989 Seasonal Canadian Cookbook

I've been making this dish for Moe for 30 years.

A mushroom Duxelles is stuffed under the skin of boneless chicken breasts. I adjust the wine sauce slightly turning it into a green peppercorn sauce.

We continued our Valentine's Day dinner
yesterday with 

Gambas al Ajillo- Spanish Tapa - Garlic Prawns

I knew we wouldn't be able to eat our main course if we started with this dish.

Served with homemade baguette to
sop up all the wonderful garlic sauce. 

And we saved dessert for last night too.

I made my favourite brownie that I call
Decadent Brownies

and made Brownie Sundaes with
homemade caramel sauce.


Chicken Breasts With Mushroon Duxelles

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Chicken Breasts Perigord

Source: Lucy Waverman - 1989 Seasonal Canadian Cookbook.

This flavorful and elegant chicken is stuffed with a combination

of fresh and dried mushrooms. Because the breasts are stuffed

under the skin, the stuffing moistens the chicken meat and keeps

it juicy. use either dried porcini or dried Chinese mushrooms;

they have the most flavor. The sauce can be made ahead of time and

the breasts stuffed a few hours before baking.


6 Dried mushrooms

1/2 cup boiling chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

4 shallots

8 ounces fresh mushrooms finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried tarragon or basil

3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

6 single boned chicken breasts, with skin on.


Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid

3 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons port or Madeira

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

1.

Soak the mushrooms in boiling chicken broth for 20 minutes.  Drain

the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid and the mushrooms

separately.Chop the mushrooms.

2.

Preheat the oven to 375°F

3.

Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the

shallots and dried and fresh mushrooms.  Saute until all the

liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the basil or tarragon, bread crumbs, cream and parsley.

cook until the cream has reduced and the filling is thick. Season

with salt and pepper.

4.

Divide the filling in six portions.  with your fingertips, make a

pocket between the skin and the flesh of each chicken breast.

Stuff the filling under the skin of the chicken breasts.  Season

the breasts with salt and pepper and place in a buttered baking

dish large enough to hold the breasts in one layer.

5.

Bake for 30 or 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until the juices

run clear.

6.

To make the sauce, in a frying pan, combine the onions and wine.

On high heat, bring to a boil and reduce until you have 1

tablespoon of liquid.

7.

Pour in the mushroom liquid, reduce to 2 tablespoons and then add

the chicken stock and continue to boil until the stock is reduced

by half. Add the port and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until

the sauce is smooth and strongly flavoured.

8.

Combine the cornstarch and cold water and stir into the sauce,

simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and add any juices from the chicken.


To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken breasts. 

Recipes Links

Gambas al Ajillo- Spanish Tapa - Garlic Prawns

Decadent Brownies