Apricot Chicken With White Bean Puree And Arugula Recipes

ROASTED TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN STEWED CHICKEN WITH APRICOT PINE NUT COUSOUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Toss parsnips and 1/2 the carrots in 1 tablespoon olive, and salt and pepper to taste. Put on a roasting pan and cook in the oven for 30 minutes or until soft. Cut plum tomatoes in 1/2, lay on another roasting pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and then add 1 tablespoon tarragon and 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes. When vegetables are cooked set them aside to be added later.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large pot, over medium head, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and seasoned chicken. Cook on both sides until crisp and browned, leaving any burnt bits at the bottom of the pan. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
• In the same pot, add the remaining carrots, celery, onions, and salt to the pot.
• over the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Place the chicken back into the pot on top of the vegetables and add the parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons tarragon, bay leaves, orange zest, coriander, roasted tomatoes, roasted carrots and parsnips, and 4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock. Cover the pot and cook until soft and tender, about 30 minutes. Add the rinsed white beans and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with additional parsley, tarragon, and orange zest and serve over couscous.
• Put couscous in a large bowl, then add 1/2 cup boiling water and stir until couscous has absorbed the water and has gotten puffy. Repeat this procedure, adding 1/2 cups at a time, until all the water is used. Once the couscous is cooked add the apricot slices, pine nuts, orange zest, mint, and olive oil. Serve with chicken.

APRICOT PUREE

Steps:

• Place the apricots in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them.
• Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until apricots are very soft. Drain the apricots, reserving the cooking liquid. Set the pan aside for later use.
• Place the apricots in 2 batches in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the metal blade. Puree by pulsing on and off until the apricots are smooth. Add some of the reserved cooking liquid, if necessary.
• Scrape the puree back into the large saucepan and stir in the brown sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring continually, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5-10 minutes.
• Let cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, until needed.
• You can use this as is, for a filling, or if the flavor is too concentrated, add it to some buttercream. Then you will have an apricot buttercream filling.
• I torte my cakes into four cake layers and like to do three filling layers as follows:.
• Cake, filling, cake, buttercream flavored with filling, cake, filling and final cake layer. By doing this, you will have two layers of the apricot filling, one on the bottom layer, and one on the top layer and a middle layer of the buttercream flavored with the filling. The buttercream will take on a very pale peachy color.
• Just remember to pipe an icing dam around the layer before spreading the apricot filling.

ROASTED CHICKEN, WHITE BEAN, AND ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• Toss together all ingredients and serve cold.
• You can substitute the arugula with another leafy green -- like a spinach or a leafy mesclun mix.

APRICOT CHICKEN WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Pat the chicken breasts dry. Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast half into two horizontally so you have 4 cutlets. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the chicken, 1 garlic clove and 1 sprig thyme and cook until the chicken is golden and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer everything to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm and set aside.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the apricot preserves, broth, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 garlic clove and the remaining fresh thyme sprig. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the mixture and cook until the sauce is smooth. Reduce the heat to low as you prepare the white bean puree and arugula.
• Make your bean puree. Put the cannellini beans, remaining garlic clove, lemon juice and lemon zest in a food processor. Add in 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. If the bean puree isn't as creamy as you want, add 1 tablespoon water and pulse again. Set aside.
• Chop the pistachios and set aside.
• Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon mustard in a medium bowl. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Add the arugula and toss until coated with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
• Return the chicken and any juices on the plate to the skillet with the sauce. Increase the heat to medium. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more, flipping the cutlets halfway through.
• To serve, dollop and swoop some bean puree into a shallow bowl or deep plate. Slice a chicken cutlet and place it on top of the bean puree and top with the sauce. Place some arugula next to the chicken. Sprinkle everything with the chopped pistachios and drizzle with olive oil. Repeat with the remaining puree, chicken, arugula and pistachios. Enjoy!