Chicken Tonnato Salad Food

MCCALL'S COOKING SCHOOL CHICKEN BREASTS TONNATO

Steps:

• Cut out core of iceberg lettuce with pointed knife; discard core. Hold cut part of lettuce under cold running water to separate leaves. Drain well on paper towels, in colander or salad spinner. Refrigerate, stored in plastic bag in crisper or plastic container with tight fitting lid.
• Wipe chicken breasts with damp paper towel. With sharp knife, split in half. In large 10-inch skillet, combine onion, celery stalk, carrot, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, the thyme, bay leaf, undiluted chicken broth, and water. Over medium heat bring to boiling; add the chicken.
• Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until chicken is fork-tender. Remove skillet from heat; cool chicken breasts in broth 1 hour. Meanwhile make Tonnato Sauce: Drain anchovy fillets; with sharp kinfe, chop 2 fillets; reserve the rest for garnish.
• Drain tuna; discard liquid. In blender or food processor, combine chopped anchovies with tuna, mayonnaise, chopped celery, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Turn into 2-cup container with tight-fitting lid; refrigerate, covered. Makes about 2 cups.
• Remove cooled chicken breasts from broth; strain broth, and refrigerate, covered, to use another time. Remove and discard skin and bone from chicken breasts. With sharp knife, shred lettuce.
• To serve: Cover a large round serving platter with shredded lettuce. Place one whole tomato, cut into 8ths and reassembled, in the very center of the plate. Arrange the 8 breast halves on lettuce in a circle around this tomato. Spoon tonnato over each breast, covering it completely. Garnish each breast with a whole reserved anchovy fillet. Place tomato wedges between breasts Garnish with watercress.

CHICKEN WITH TONNATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large, plastic storage bag, combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, oregano, and 2 minced garlic cloves; add chicken and marinate at least 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Cook chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side; let stand 5 minutes, then cut into 1/4 inch slices and set aside.
• In a food processor, combine mayonnaise, capers, anchovy, and tuna; process until smooth.
• Arrange arugula on each of 4 serving plates.
• Top with chicken slices and either spoon some tonnato sauce on top or serve on the side.

TONNATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender purée all ingredients, including oil from tuna can, until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

CHICKEN TONNATO (LIGHTENED & BRIGHTENED)

Steps:

• Put chicken breasts in a lrg saucepan in a single layer. Add onion, bay leaf, stock & peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer for about 12 min, or till tender.
• Turn off heat, allow chicken to cool in the stock & then remove w/a slotted spoon. Slice ea chicken breast in medallions, but keep ea intact to be plated individually when served. Set aside.
• Boil stock till reduced to approx 5 tablespoons Strain thru a fine sieve & allow to cool.
• Put tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice + 3 tbsp of the reduced stock into a blender or food proc & puree till smooth. (I will use my immersion blender for this step).
• Stir in enough of the remaining stock to reduce the sauce to the thickness of double cream & spoon equally over ea chicken breast.
• Arrange strips of red bell pepper in a lattice pattern over ea breast. Put a caper in the center of ea square. Chill in fridge for at least 1 hr & serve cold w/a mixed green salad that includes cherry tomatoes for color.

TONNATO MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Puree first five ingredients with 1 teaspoon water in a blender until smooth. With blender running, add oil in a steady stream. Refrigerate in an airtight container at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

SAM SIFTON'S VITELLO TONNATO

Steps:

• If necessary, tie the veal with cotton string, so that it resembles a salami. Place the meat in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and cover with tuna, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, parsley, wine, broth, salt and pepper, then heat over a high flame until it comes to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the veal reaches 130 degrees.
• Remove meat to a large, nonreactive bowl, strain the broth over it, cover and allow the meat to cool in the refrigerator. (Discard solids.)
• Meanwhile, put yolks in a medium bowl. Beat together with a wire whisk. Begin to add oil as you beat, a very little at a time, adding more as each bit is incorporated. When a thick emulsion forms, then you can add oil a little faster, but not much faster. The entire process should take roughly 5 to 7 minutes. (You may not need all the oil.)
• Add tuna, anchovies and caper brine to the mixture, then beat to incorporate. Add a few tablespoons of the veal broth to thin the sauce slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding lemon juice or more broth to taste. The sauce should not taste overly mayonnaisey but should lurk in the neighborhood.
• Remove the cooled veal from its broth, untie and cut across the grain into very thin slices. Arrange these neatly on a platter with the edges of the slices overlapping, and spoon the tuna sauce over the top. Cover and return to refrigerator overnight or until ready to use. Garnish with capers or fried capers, lemon, hard-cooked egg wedges or sprigs of parsley. Serve with copious amounts of bread and a green salad, lightly dressed.