Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts (2 x 150 g washed and dried) 80g stuffing (see below)
4 slices Parma ham, cut thin 50ml double cream
25ml dry Marsala (or sherry) 100ml strong chicken stock
200g mirepoix cut small (onion, celery, carrot, bayleaf) 25g butter with a little oil
Salt and pepper
The Stuffing
40g of good salami
2 dry figs, soaked overnight – cover with hot water and leave
Make a fine paste of the two ingredients using a blender or if you are a ‘traditionalist’ – chop, chop and . . . chop!!
Method
- make an incision in thin part of the breast to form a pouch in it and place half stuffing in each and season
- in a frying pan seal the chicken until slightly coloured, set aside
- in the same fat, fry the mirepoix
- pour a little oil well distributed, onto an oven (metal) tray
- place the mirepoix in it and the chicken on top
- place the tray in preheated oven, 180ºC for
- take the chicken out and keep it hot
- reheat the mirepoix and pour over the Marsala, the stock and reduce by
- strain into suitably sized saucepan and season to taste
- add the cream and bring to temperature but do not boil
- if necessary thicken with a little diluted cornflour
- place the two chicken breasts side by side on a suitable, warmed plate and trim to form a heart
- pour half the sauce over it, decorate to taste and serve
Suitable accompaniment, if available would be braised fennel, baby carrots and sautéd, small potatoes.
Wine of choice – Cortese d’ Alba, Sancerre
Dessert of choice – fresh fruit salad or Tiramisu`
Tiramisu` for Two
15 sponge finger biscuits 50g of Mascarpone
50g of Ricotta
2fl oz double cream
1 freshly laid large egg (be sure of its provenance) 25g soft light brown sugar
15g caster sugar
20ml of Rum or Brandy (Tia Maria is recommended) 1 medium cup of strong coffee
15g cocoa powder 2 large strawberries
Using 3 Bowls, one of which should be 1litre capacity.
Separate the egg, put yolk in the larger bowl
Add soft brown sugar to the yolks and whisk until very light in colour to make quite a stiff mixture.
Add Mascarpone and Ricotta, whisking together to form a smooth paste. It must not drop off the whisk. Whisk egg whites (make sure the whisk is REALLY clean, otherwise the whites do not stiffen) and add a little castor sugar when forming peaks. Add this to the first mixture.
Whip the cream and also add it to the first mix.
Prepare a rectangular dish by sprinkling some caster sugar in it.
Place 5 sponge fingers on the dish, sugared side up. Soak with coffee and liqueur
Cover the sponge fingers with some of the creamy mixture.
Repeat this 2 more times using 5 sponge fingers each time, dividing creamy mixture equally.
Place strawberries cut vertically on top to form little hearts.
Just before serving sprinkle the cocoa powder over the Tiramisu`.
Dessert wine of choice – Vin Santo Toscano
Giovanni Fontebasso
Buon Appetito
