There aren't many cookbooks that arrange their recipes by season. But when I find one, I really appreciate the effort the author has made to divide the recipes to where you can use ingredients in their peak season.
That being said, this chicken recipe, from the book "Seasons of the Vineyard, Celebrations and Recipe"s from the Robert Mondavi Winery", is in the winter section, with the only seasonal part of it being the suggestion of accompanying this dish with winter greens. But I'm not complaining. This is a very simple and easy dish with tons of flavor. I had to wing it a bit (no pun intended), but it can be prepared in about 30 minutes (if you use my variation) and it will really impress your family as it looks like something you might get in a little French bistro.
Chicken Breasts with Chardonnay and Tarragon, adapted from "Seasons of the Vineyard, Celebrations and Recipes from the Robert Mondavi Winery", copyright 1996.
The ingredients:
2 whole chicken breasts with skin
4 ounces Emmental or Gruyere cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Chardonnay wine
3 shallots, diced fine
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Loosen the skin of the chicken breasts. Place the grated cheese evenly under the skin and pat down. Place the chicken in a buttered shallow baking pan. Salt and pepper the chicken lightly on both sides and reserve.
Combine the Chardonnay, shallots, cream and chicken broth in a non-reactive saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the tarragon, mustard seed and powder, lemon zest, and cracked pepper. Reduce over medium-high heat until the sauce is the consistency of light cream, about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
Now here's where I had to improvise. I bought chicken breasts without skin, so that took care of having to place cheese under the skin. I decided to pound the breasts out to help them cook faster and I went ahead and slightly browned them for about 3 minutes on each side in a little olive oil (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) for some color in my copper saute pan over medium heat. Then I removed them and put them in a baking pan and into the oven.
While the chicken was cooking, I prepared the sauce. I didn't have any shallots so I used a large clove of garlic (finely chopped) and about 1 1/2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion. I briefly (1 minute or so) sauteed this in the same pan I had browned the chicken in at medium-high heat. Then I added the Chardonnay (should I feel guilty for not using Mondavi?), cream and chicken broth to the same pan. Once it thickened around 5 minutes I added what I had on hand....fresh tarragon in place of dried (finely chopped, about a tablespoon), stone ground mustard, about 2 tablespoons (in place of the mustard powder and mustard seeds I did not have), and lemon pepper (1 1/2 teaspoons, in place of the lemon zest and the cracked black pepper I was also missing). Then this was reduced about 15 minutes over medium high heat and seasoned appropriately with salt and pepper. Then I reduced the temperature to simmer.
Then I checked the chicken to be sure it was at the proper temperature (165 degrees), which it was. All I had to do was plate it. It sure was good!
Here is the recipe from the same book for the spinach. So easy!
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
3 bunches fresh spinach (I used a bag of pre-washed baby spinach)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons unsalted butter salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
If you use spinach bunches, make sure to wash it well and shake gently to remove the water. Since my spinach was already washed and dried this was not necessary.
Combine the garlic and butter in a large nonreactive pan with a lid and place over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the spinach. Cover the pan for one minute, then uncover and stir until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the pan from the heat and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Discard the garlic and serve the spinach hot.
Enjoy!
That being said, this chicken recipe, from the book "Seasons of the Vineyard, Celebrations and Recipe"s from the Robert Mondavi Winery", is in the winter section, with the only seasonal part of it being the suggestion of accompanying this dish with winter greens. But I'm not complaining. This is a very simple and easy dish with tons of flavor. I had to wing it a bit (no pun intended), but it can be prepared in about 30 minutes (if you use my variation) and it will really impress your family as it looks like something you might get in a little French bistro.
 |
| Beautiful pictures and recipes arranged seasonally. |
The ingredients:
2 whole chicken breasts with skin
4 ounces Emmental or Gruyere cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Chardonnay wine
3 shallots, diced fine
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
The recipe:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Loosen the skin of the chicken breasts. Place the grated cheese evenly under the skin and pat down. Place the chicken in a buttered shallow baking pan. Salt and pepper the chicken lightly on both sides and reserve.
Combine the Chardonnay, shallots, cream and chicken broth in a non-reactive saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the tarragon, mustard seed and powder, lemon zest, and cracked pepper. Reduce over medium-high heat until the sauce is the consistency of light cream, about 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
 |
| My improvised ingredients included stone ground mustard, lemon pepper, onion, and garlic |
 |
| Pound out chicken between layers of plastic wrap or waxed paper. |
While the chicken was cooking, I prepared the sauce. I didn't have any shallots so I used a large clove of garlic (finely chopped) and about 1 1/2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion. I briefly (1 minute or so) sauteed this in the same pan I had browned the chicken in at medium-high heat. Then I added the Chardonnay (should I feel guilty for not using Mondavi?), cream and chicken broth to the same pan. Once it thickened around 5 minutes I added what I had on hand....fresh tarragon in place of dried (finely chopped, about a tablespoon), stone ground mustard, about 2 tablespoons (in place of the mustard powder and mustard seeds I did not have), and lemon pepper (1 1/2 teaspoons, in place of the lemon zest and the cracked black pepper I was also missing). Then this was reduced about 15 minutes over medium high heat and seasoned appropriately with salt and pepper. Then I reduced the temperature to simmer.
 |
| I didn't use a fancy Chardonnay. |
Then I checked the chicken to be sure it was at the proper temperature (165 degrees), which it was. All I had to do was plate it. It sure was good!
 |
| Chicken breast with Chardonnay and tarragon, garlic spinach and spaetzle with cheese |
Here is the recipe from the same book for the spinach. So easy!
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
3 bunches fresh spinach (I used a bag of pre-washed baby spinach)
1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons unsalted butter salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
If you use spinach bunches, make sure to wash it well and shake gently to remove the water. Since my spinach was already washed and dried this was not necessary.
Combine the garlic and butter in a large nonreactive pan with a lid and place over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the spinach. Cover the pan for one minute, then uncover and stir until the spinach has wilted. Remove from the pan from the heat and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Discard the garlic and serve the spinach hot.
Enjoy!
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