Wednesday, July 13, 2005

Sauteed Green Beans with Hazelnut Crumbs

1/2 c. ground or finely chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/2 c. fine fresh bread crumbs or 1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 lb. green beans, stemmed
6 Tbs. butter
1 Tb. minced shallots
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

Combine the nuts and bread crumbs and set aside.
Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes.
Refresh under cold running water and drain.
Heat water the butter in a saute pan.
Add the shallots and saute until softened.
Add the green beans, salt, pepper and hazelnut crumbs.
Saute several minutes to heat through.
Serve at once.

From The Frog and Commissary Cookbook

Chicken Breasts with Apples and Cider Cream Sauce

CIDER CREAM SAUCE:

2 c. flitered cider
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

CHICKEN:

6 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned
3/4 c. flour, seasoned with 1 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1/2 c. clarified butter
2 large tart apples, cored and cut into 1/4" slices

SAUCE:

In a 2 qt. saucepan, reduce cider to 1/2 cup.
Whisk in the mustard and cream and reduce to about 2 cups
over medium-high heat or until thickened like a sauce.
Add seasonings and set aside.

CHICKEN AND ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess.
Heat 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet.
Add the chicken and saute on one side for 5 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and saute for 3-5 minutes more or until
just done. Remove the chicken from the skillet
and keep warm in the oven.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan.
Add the apple slices and saute for 3-5 minutes or until
just tender.
Remove the apples and keep warm.
Pour off any excess butter from the pan.
Add the cider cream sauce to the pan and heat
through while scraping up any little browned bits
from the bottom of the pan.
When hot, serve over the chicken breast and garnish with the apple rings.

From The Frog and Commissary Cookbook