2698. CHICKEN ROULADE with BACON, ROMESCO SAUCE and FONDANT POTATOES

serves two

For the romesco sauce

2 medium red peppers 

100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying

2 garlic cloves, diced

1 red chilli, diced

1 x 200g/7oz can chopped plum tomatoes 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 tablespoon ground hazelnuts 

1 tablespoon ground almonds 

For the chicken roulade

2 large free-range chicken breasts, skin removed

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

275g/10oz mixture of chestnut and white mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves

4 slices unsmoked back bacon, diced

For the fondant potatoes

150g/5oz unsalted butter 

1 garlic clove, diced

3 large floury potatoes (about 750g/1lb 10oz in total), peeled and cut into 1cm/0.5-in thick rounds using a pastry cutter

3 tablespoons chicken stock 

For the romesco sauce, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Prick the peppers in a few places with a fork, then place them under the grill, turning every now and then, until the skins are blackened and charred. Transfer to a bowl and cover immediately with cling film to trap the steam. Leave for a few minutes and, when cool enough to handle, pull off the skins and remove the core and seeds. Set the flesh aside.

Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic and chilli together for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant and golden, but not browned. Pour in the tomatoes and cook for five minutes, or until they have broken down to a thick consistency and are almost catching on the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the contents of the pan into a food processor, add the red pepper flesh, the remaining olive oil, and all of the vinegar and salt and blend until smooth. Stir in the ground nuts and set aside.

For the chicken roulade, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of cling film and flatten with a rolling pin or meat mallet until very thin (about 0.5cm/¼in). Remove the cling film and season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the groundnut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and gently fry the mushrooms with the garlic for 2-3 minutes, or until the mushrooms have started to shrink but are not fully cooked. Leave to cool.

Spread the mushroom mixture over the chicken breasts, then top with the spinach leaves. Roll each chicken breast up tightly and wrap two slices of bacon around each breast to secure. Place onto a lightly greased baking tray and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until completely cooked through (no traces of pink should remain when you cut into the chicken). Keep warm.

Meanwhile, for the fondant potatoes, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat then add the garlic and fry for one minute. Add the potatoes and fry for five minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown on the bottom.

Turn the potatoes over, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

To serve, carve the chicken roulade into thick slices and serve with the hot fondant potatoes and romesco sauce on the side.

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Pendles Family, The Hairy Bikers' Cook Off, BBC Food

2182. MOOSE ROULADES in CREAM SAUCE with BACON and UNCOOKED LINGONBERRIES

500 grams moose fillet
50 grams bacon
8 cornichons (small pickled gherkins)
8 toothpicks
salt & pepper
1 onion, quartered
1 beef stock cube
2 dl (20 ml) cream
2 tablespoons flour (for thickening)

Lingonberry Relish
200 grams lingonberries
100 grams sugar

Moose Roulades: Slice the meat into 8 equal slices and pound them. Season lightly with salt and pepper on one side. Put one bacon-wrapped cornichon on each slice of the meat and roll it up, securing the roulades with toothpicks. In a pot, bring to the boil 5dl of water, together with the beef stock cube and the onion. Heat a skillet with butter. When the foam subsides, add the roulades and brown them well on all sides. Place the roulades in the pot with the bouillon and simmer for about 15-30 minutes. The cooking time can vary depending on the age and quality of the meat. Remove a roulade to check - they should be tender but not boiled to shreds. Once the roulades are sufficiently cooked, remove and let them cool slightly while you make a sauce from the bouillon and meat juices. There should be about 3 dl left of the bouillon - whisk together with the flour and the cream, making sure there are no lumps. Whisk this into the boiling meat juice, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Season to taste. Remove the toothpicks and return the roulades to the sauce.

Lingonberry Relish: Mix together the lingonberries and sugar. Let stand about 2 hours before serving. Serve with the moose roulades with boiled potatoes, vegetables and the lingonberry relish.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Planet Food Scandinavia | Pilot Guides, the official Globe Trekker website, Pilot Film & Television Productions Ltd., The Old Studio, 18 Middle Row, London W10 5AT, UK

708. CORNBREAD and BACON STUFFING-STUFFED CHICKEN ROULADES with ORANGE APRICOT MARMALADE

yields 4 servings


STUFFING:
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons diced celery
2 tablespoons diced green bell pepper
2 corn muffins, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock

CHICKEN:
4 chicken breasts, 6 to 7 ounces each
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup orange-apricot marmalade (recommended: Sarabeth's)
1/2 cup chicken stock

For the stuffing:
Set a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and most of the fat has rendered, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a paper-lined plate to drain.

Add the onions, celery and peppers to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Place the cornbread in the pan and stir to combine.

Season with the salt and cayenne pepper. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and cook until it is nearly completely reduced, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the pan and place on a plate to cool. Fold the crispy bacon into the stuffing and continue to cool until the stuffing is cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.


For the Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay each chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap (each at about 13 to 14 inches long), and pound using a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness.

Season the chicken on both sides with the salt and white pepper. Place 1/2 cup of the stuffing along the lower third of each chicken breast. Roll the chicken breasts like a jellyroll, and secure using twine. Add the oil to a 10-inch saute pan and once the oil is hot, add the chicken rolls -- seam side up -- to the pan. Sear the chicken in the pan for 3 minutes, then turn 1/4 of the way. Continue to cook another 2 minutes, and turn another 1/4 turn. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, and place the pan in the oven.

While the chicken is cooking, combine the marmalade and chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the stock is nearly completely reduced, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove and set the glaze aside until needed.

After the chicken has cooked in the oven for 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the glaze evenly over the chicken breasts. Return the chicken to the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes, if desired, to brown the glaze. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the twine, slice the breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices, and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, Emerils.com

211. DUCK ROULADES with BACON and a SIMPLE HERB SAUCE

yields 4 servings


1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
4 boneless, skinless duck breast halves
12 slices bacon
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly-ground pepper
4 teaspoons chopped unroasted pistachio nuts
1/2 avocado, peeled, pit removed, sliced in 8 vertical slices
Simple Herb Sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl prepare a dry marinade by combining shallots, garlic, tarragon, basil and Creole seasoning. With a meat mallet evenly pound each duck breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until 1/4-inch thick. Rub both sides of each breast with dry marinade.

On work surface lay 3 slices of the bacon vertically and top with 1 duck breast, so longest side faces you. Season breast with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 2 turns of pepper and 1 teaspoon of the pistachios. Arrange 2 avocado slices horizontally on top. Lifting side nearest you, firmly roll up roulade until bacon overlaps; secure with bacon and place on baking sheet. Repeat to make remaining roulades.

Bake roulades until bacon browns and crisps and duck meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Use a sharp knife to trim off ends of roulades, slice each into 4 pieces and serve with sauce.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, New Orleans, Louisiana