Monday, November 21, 2005

Sunday Night Challenge

My turn to be challenged. Rob picked maple syrup as my mystery ingredient, I suspect hoping I would make something sweet.
I went with an epicurious recipe for chicken stuffed with smoked cheddar and sage with a green apple slaw. Only I can't eat raw apples, so I turned it into a chutney :D I served it with Parsnip and Potato Latkes, also epicurious and a Persimmon Salad to start. First time I have bothered to do a wine pairing ~ went with a French Viogner.





SMOKED-CHEDDAR-STUFFED CHICKEN WITH GREEN APPLE CHUTNEY

Chicken
1/2 cup coarsely grated smoked cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin and tenderloin attached
1/4 cup Scotch whisky
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
Green Apple Chutney
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Scotch whisky
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 very large Granny Smith apple, halved, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup paper-thin slices red onion




For chicken:
Stir cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, cream cheese, and sage in small bowl to blend. Place 1 chicken breast, skin side down, on work surface. Using small sharp knife, cut 1 1/2-inch-deep by 2-inch-long horizontal pocket in chicken. Pack in 1/4 of stuffing. Press tenderloin into pocket opening to seal in stuffing. Repeat with remaining chicken and stuffing. Arrange chicken on small baking sheet. Combine 1/4 cup maple syrup, whisky, brown sugar, and butter in small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sauce comes to simmer and is blended. (Chicken and basting sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

For green apple chutney:
Simmer Ingredients until apples are just soft. Refrigerate.

HEat up broiler and place chicken on a lined broiler pan. Rewarm basting sauce; transfer half to bowl and use as basting sauce. Reduce the remaining sauce only slightly, being careful not to oil it.Broil chicken, turning every 5-7 minutes, basting regularily. Broil until cooked through. Transfer chicken to platter. Serve with apple chutney, passing reserved sauce separately.

Makes 4 servings.

7 comments:

Deetsa said...

I'm curious about your persimmon salad. Was it just ripe persimmon over a green salad? What dressing did you use?

Kudos to your creativity on the challenge. I'm sure Rob was surprised not to get a dessert *S*

Curiousity of mind: You CAN'T or WON'T eat raw apples? Allergic??? or bad past experience?

Deetsa said...

darn... "mind" should read "mine"

Unknown said...

Can't eat raw apples ~ crazy allergy. I adore fruit, but cannot eat apples, cherries, pears, peaches, figs raw.

The persimmon salad was made with fuyu persimmon, mixed baby greens and a dressing found on epicurious. I linked to it in my post.

Anonymous said...

Linda--That looks really good!

Unknown said...

Thanks Lisa ;D

Randi said...

ryn: Yes, we do. Robin is Canadian, although her family isnt really into Thanksgiving as much as we Americans are. They will usually have it on a Sunday and I would never dream of having it on a day other than the 4th thursday of November.

Little Mama said...

That looks wonderful. I love the combination of fruit and savory dishes. I love these challenges you all do. Its great to see your results.