Brandy Soused Chicken Food

CHICKEN WITH BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim fat from chicken breast halves.
• Cut breast sections in half so that you have four roughly equal pieces.
• Take a gallon zip top bag and cut the two edges open so that the sides are only joined at the bottom edge of the bag.
• Place breast sections in bag one at a time and pound flat with a mallet or a flat heavy object until chicken pieces are only 1/4 to 1/2" thick.
• Season breast sections on both sides with 1 tsp of fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.
• Heat a frying or sauté pan to medium/medium high heat. Do NOT use a non-stick pan. You can't make decent pan sauces with Teflon. I prefer a stainless steel pan but cast iron would work (preferably enamel coated cast iron).
• Put flour in a bowl and press breast pieces into it to coat chicken fully.
• Add olive oil to pan and let it come up to temperature. It should only take a couple of seconds.
• Add breast sections. Brown the chicken to a golden brown then flip and do the same on the other side. It should only take roughly 3 minutes per side or you have the chicken too thick. Do not crowd the pan. If you have to cook the chicken in batches keep the first batch warm by wrapping in aluminum foil.
• While chicken is frying, chop Italian parsley to 1/8 cup.
• Remove the last batch of chicken from the pan and wrap in foil to keep warm.
• Turn up heat under pan to medium high and add chicken broth. If pan is hot enough, the broth will boil immediately. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. This is where all the flavor is.
• Add brandy, lemon juice and remaining black pepper and then reduce liquid by 1/2.
• Reduce heat to low and add butter and parsley. Stir in butter until sauce is smooth.
• Place chicken pieces on plates and then pour the pan sauce over the chicken. Don't drown it.
• Enjoy!

FRIED WALNUT CHICKEN WITH BRANDY PAPAYA SAUCE

Steps:

• Sauce:.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat and then lightly saute the walnuts for 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the sugar until it gets completely dissolved. Add the mango and papaya and continue to saute for another 3 to 4 minutes. Briefly take the pan off the burner so you can add your brandy, return the pan to the burner and let the brandy flame off its alcohol. (Be careful and watch out for the flames.) Add the water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the mint and cook 1 more minute. Take the pan off of the heat and put the sauce into a blender and puree until the sauce is smooth. Return the sauce to the pan and keep warm.
• Chicken:.
• Fill a 1 gallon stockpot 3 inches deep with the vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. (If the temp is lower, the chicken will absorb the oil and become greasy.).
• Mix the bread crumbs and finely chopped walnuts together on a plate.
• Whisk the eggs and milk together in a bowl or pie plate.
• Dust the chicken strips with flour, dip them into the egg wash and then press them into the bread crumb mixture - coating evenly.
• Put the chicken strips into the hot oil (be careful when working with hot oil!).When they begin to turn brown, use tongs to turn them over. When all sides are golden brown, remove and place them on paper toweling to drain.
• Serve the walnut chicken with the brandy pawpaw sauce. Enjoy!

APRICOT BRANDY CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large fry pan heat some oil, add chicken and brown well on both sides. Remove and set to one side.
• In the same pan add water, brandy, jam, stock and mustard stir to combine, mix a little water with the cornflour and add to sauce, stir until mixture thickens.
• Add sour cream, return chicken to pan cook for about 10-15 Min's over a low heat to cook chicken through, stir in tarragon. Remove chicken and slice thickly.
• To Serve: I served mine over celeriac mash drizzled with sauce and garnished with half an apricot.