Stovetop/Bake
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 Tbs unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup wild rice
Water
¼ cup raisins
4 large chicken breasts, boned, with skin intact
4 sprigs fresh tarragon
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbs fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tsp grated orange zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a heavy saucepan, sauté garlic in one tablespoon butter until soft, but not browned. Cook rice in water to cover until tender; drain. Add rice and raisins to garlic mixture and stir to glaze. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lay chicken breasts, skin side down, on plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet to flatten. Arrange ¼ of rice mixture near one edge of a chicken breast. Lay a sprig of tarragon on rice and roll chicken up tightly to enclose rice and tarragon. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat with remaining breasts.
In a heavy skillet, brown chicken rolls in one tablespoon butter, turning carefully to brown all sides. Remove toothpicks, transfer chicken to a shallow baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, or until done.
Meanwhile, prepare sauce by melting the remaining one tablespoon butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and stir until soft but not browned. Add wine and increase heat to high. Boil until reduced to a glaze, about two tablespoons. Add orange juice and boil until reduced to ½ cup. Add tarragon and orange zest. Continue cooking until sauce is thickened to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, nap chicken breasts with orange sauce and garnish with additional tarragon.
Gilbertie, Sal. Kitchen Herbs: The Art and Enjoyment of Growing Herbs and Cooking with Them: New York, Bantam Books, 1988.