Mushroom Stuffed Chicken With Lemon Thyme Risotto Food

RISOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS AND THYME

Steps:

• Risotto:
• Combine 1 Tbsp. salt and 10 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium to maintain a bare simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium. Add onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and starting to soften, 6-8 minutes. Add ½ cup water and cook, stirring often, until water evaporates and onion is sizzling in oil and tender, about 5 minutes. Taste onion; if it's still firm at all, add a splash of water and continue to cook until meltingly soft.
• Add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until grains are translucent around the edges and make a clattering sound when they hit against the pot, about 5 minutes. (Coating grains with oil before adding any liquid helps the rice cook evenly so that the outside does not become mushy before the center is tender.) Add wine and another pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine evaporates, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, then add hot salted water to rice in ¾-cup increments, stirring constantly and allowing liquid to absorb fully before adding more, until rice is al dente and suspended in a fluid, not-too-thick creamy liquid, 25-30 minutes. It should take 2-3 minutes for each addition to be absorbed; if things are moving faster than this, reduce heat to medium-low. Gradual absorption and constant agitation are key to encouraging starches to release from risotto, creating its trademark creamy consistency. You may not need all of the hot water, but the finished texture should be more of a liquid than a solid. Start checking rice about 15 minutes after the first water addition; the grains should be tender but not mushy, with a slightly firm center that doesn't leave a chalky residue between your teeth after tasting. Do not overcook!
• Remove pot from heat, add butter, and stir until melted. Gradually add Parmesan, stirring until cheese is melted and liquid is creamy but very loose; stir in more hot salted water if needed. Taste and season with more salt.
• Assembly:
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add mushrooms; cook, tossing occasionally, until they begin to soften and release some liquid, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; cook, tossing occasionally, until deeply browned and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, and butter and cook, tossing occasionally, until garlic softens and butter is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Toss to coat, scraping up any browned bits. Pluck out thyme.
• Divide risotto among warm bowls. Top each with a few grinds of pepper and spoon mushroom mixture over. Serve with Parmesan alongside.

CHICKEN-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove stems from mushrooms, but do not discard. Using a small melon baller, scoop out insides of mushrooms, leaving at least half shell to allow more room for filling. Finely chop mushroom stems and centers.
• Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in chicken, chopped mushrooms, Diamond Crystal® Kosher Salt, and pepper. Cook and stir 3 minutes longer. Blend in flour, cream and 3 tablespoons parsley. Cook and stir until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat.
• Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps. Place in lightly oiled, shallow baking dish. Bake 10 minutes. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and garnish with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until hot and cheese melts. Garnish with additional parsley, if desired.

CRISPY THYME CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Set the oven to a moderate temperature (160C-180C/gas 3-4). Rub chicken with a little oil and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Strip the leaves from six of the thyme sprigs and sprinkle them evenly over the chicken. Lightly dust with flour (this helps crisp the chicken).
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add the chicken skin side down and fry for 5 minutes without moving it. Then continue cooking for a further 10-15 minutes, turning regularly, until the chicken is tender and the skin crisp and browned. Remove to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
• Drain almost all the oil from the pan. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook over a high heat, tossing the mushrooms until they start to soften. Stir in the cream, the remaining thyme sprigs, and season. Simmer for a few minutes until the mushrooms are cooked, then serve with the chicken. New potatoes, and a simple green salad of Little Gems and rocket leaves lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, are the perfect accompaniment.

MUSHROOM MELT STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the onion and mushrooms with salt and pepper until the mushrooms are dark and juicy, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in the bread crumbs. Set aside.
• Place each chicken breast half between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to an thickness of about 1/4 inch. Lay a flattened chicken breast out onto a work surface, and place a slice of ham on the chicken. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the mushroom stuffing onto the chicken breast, and top with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the Havarti cheese. Roll the chicken breast around the stuffing, wrap 2 slices of bacon firmly around each roll, and secure with toothpicks. Place the rolls into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is no longer pink and the stuffing is melted and hot, about 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove the chicken rolls from the oven, and place an oven rack about 6 inches from the oven's broiler heat source. Turn on the broiler, and broil the rolls until the bacon is brown, 5 to 10 more minutes.

MUSHROOM & THYME RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium pan, sauté the mushrooms for 2-3 mins, then stir in the quinoa. Keeping the vegetable stock warm in a separate pan on a low heat, add a ladle of the stock and stir until absorbed. Stir in the rice and repeat again with the stock, until all the stock has been used up and the rice and quinoa are tender and cooked.
• Stir in the thyme leaves, then divide between four plates or bowls. Serve topped with grated parmesan and rocket leaves.