Herb Poached Chicken With Olive Salsa Over Basmati Rice Food

POACHED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC-HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill a large pot halfway with hot water; add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the fennel wedges and carrots. Bring to a boil; cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to low.
• Add the garlic, scallions, fennel fronds and chicken to the pot and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Fill a bowl with salted ice water. Transfer the chicken to the ice water using tongs; let sit 30 seconds, then remove to a cutting board.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic, scallions and fennel fronds to a blender; add 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the green beans to the pot, remove from the heat and let sit 5 minutes; drain.
• Add the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, parsley and basil to the blender and puree; season with pepper. Cut the chicken into pieces and serve with the vegetables; drizzle with the herb sauce.

DUAL CONTROLS CHICKEN AND STEAK - HERB POACHED CHICKEN WITH OLIVE SALSA OVER BASMATI RICE AND NEW YORK STRIP STEAK WITH SAUCE ROBERT OVER BABY POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the olive salsa for the chicken topping, slice the root end off the entire head of garlic and turn it upside down, wrap it in aluminum foil and mold the foil so it supports the garlic to allow the cut end to stand upright in the oven. Pour about 1 teaspoon olive oil on the garlic so it slips between the skin and the cloves and wrap with the foil so it is enclosed. Roast for about 1 hour and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
• In a small bowl combine the tomato, basil, parsley, peppercorns, olives and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the skins into the mixture. Fold everything together and set aside to let flavors integrate.
• For the rice accompaniment to the chicken, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir in the basmati rice, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper, allowing rice to toast for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer covered and undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking begin the sauce for the steak. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, and saute the shallot until it becomes translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are tender and give up their juices. (While the mushrooms are cooling, begin sauteing the bacon in a separate skillet for the potatoes.) Add the merlot and cook for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate small bowl, make a slurry with 1 tablespoon water and the cornstarch, then add the tomato paste and Dijon mustard and mix thoroughly until smooth. Add this mixture to the pan of mushrooms along with demi-glace and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat down to medium low, and allow to reduce and thicken.
• While the mushrooms are cooking, heat the oil in the deep-fryer to 375 degrees F or according the manufacturer's instructions for potatoes. Saute the bacon strips in a skillet until crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain and cool to room temperature. Drain excess bacon fat from the skillet leaving a coating in which to saute the onion. Cook until the onion becomes translucent. Deep-fry the baby potato slices until golden and drain on paper towels. Transfer them to the pan of onions, and crumble in the bacon. Toss in the scallions and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F for the steak, if you are finishing in the oven.
• In a large saute pan, heat the chicken stock over medium-high heat. Add the basil, tarragon and parsley, bring to a boil to integrate flavors, then reduce heat. This is your poaching liquid. Season the chicken breasts generously on both sides with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasoning in, and place the chicken in simmering poaching liquid. (Remember, you are poaching, not boiling. The liquid should be kept at a simmer.) Poach chicken until cooked through, about 10 minutes, turning breasts midway through cooking period. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet with oven-safe handles. Season the steaks with walt and pepper. Sear for about 2 minutes per side undisturbed (to let seasonings integrate into the surface of the meat) and then to your preferred level of doneness. Transfer the entire skillet to the oven to finish (about 10 minutes for medium-rare) They can also be cooked on a grill. Let steaks rest, then slice into 1/4- inch thick slices.
• On half of the serving plate, spoon some basmati rice, top with a piece of chicken, and spoon olive salsa over chicken. On the other half of the serving plate, spoon some potatoes, top with a "fan" of steak slices (about 3 ounces of steak or an amount equal to half of a strip steak, per person) and drizzle sauce over sliced steak. Garnish the plate with haricots verts.

BASMATI RICE

Steps:

• Wash the rice twice in cold water to remove impurities and drain through a strainer.
• Add the rice to a large saucepan and cover with cold water until the water reaches about 1/2-inch above the rice. Add a little salt, to taste, and bring the rice and the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, stir the rice then cover with a tight lid and cook until all the water has been absorbed. The rice normally takes about 15 minutes to cook and should be light and fluffy when cooked. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

BASMATI AND BLACK RICE JUK

Steps:

• Place the Thai black rice and 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan and simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 hours (stirring occasionally) or until the rice has completely dissolved into the water. You should have a liquid the consistency of creamy potato soup.
• Add 1/2 of the roasted garlic to the black rice, and simmer 5 minutes more. Pass through a fine mesh strainer.
• While the Thai black rice is cooking, place the basmati rice and 3 cups of water in a medium saucepot and repeat all the steps you followed to cook the black rice juk. In addition to the garlic, add the horseradish to the basmati juk before passing through mesh strainer. The basmati juk should take 30 minutes less in total cooking time.

POACHED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Season chicken breasts with salt and arrange in a deep, large skillet. Cover chicken with vegetables. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and chicken stock to the pan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, covered. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay and thyme sprigs. Remove the chicken breasts and cut into slices. Return chicken slices to the pan and adjust seasoning, to your taste. Put the couscous into a heatproof serving bowl. Ladle 1 1/2 cups of the hot cooking liquid over the couscous, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, season the couscous with salt, and fluff with a fork. Put a scoop of couscous into a serving bowl, top with chicken chunks and vegetables. Cover meat and vegetables with some broth. Garnish each serving with chives and parsley.
• Refrigerate or freeze the whole breast pieces for Portuguese Chicken.

POACHED CHICKEN, CRUNCHY VEGETABLES, AND HERB DRESSING

Steps:

• For the dressing:
• Drain and rinse the almonds in fresh cold water, then pound them with the herbs, the garlic clove and a little salt. Slowly pour the olive oil into the mixture, stirring to combine.
• For the chicken:
• Put the chicken breasts into a pan of cold water with the reserved herb stalks (from the dressing), the garlic and the salt. Bring the water to a simmer, turn off the heat and immediately cover the pan. Allow the chicken to sit in the hot poaching liquor for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and blanch the green beans for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then cool under cold running water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Preheat the broiler. Shave the fennel bulb with a mandolin or peeler into this slices and do the same with the carrot and zucchini. Add to the beans. Put the tomatoes on a non-stick baking sheet and under a preheated broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add to the bowl.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the poaching liquor. Thinly slice them and add to the bowl of vegetables. Toss together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken and vegetables between plates and serve with the herb dressing and lemon wedges.