Steamed Chicken Stuffed With Birds Nest Food

STUFFED "CHICKEN BIRDS"

Steps:

• Flatten chicken breasts to a uniform thickness.
• Filling: Melt butter in skillet and add garlic and mushrooms; saute for 5 minutes.
• Add wine and cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by half.
• Stir in consomme and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add egg yolk and sherry; mix to bind.
• Divide filling into equal portions and place in centre of chicken breasts.
• Roll breasts up, folding in sides and secure with toothpicks.
• Tie carefully with string at each end.
• Sauce: Melt butter in a large skillet and brown chicken on all sides.
• Cover pan and let them cook at a low simmer for 1 1/4 hours.
• Remove chicken from skillet.
• Add wine to skillet, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of pan.
• Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by half.
• Add chicken stock and cornstarch mixed to a paste with 3 tablespoons of wine.
• Add"birds" and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until done.
• Remove toothpicks and string and transfer to a serving platter.
• Sieve sauce over them and garnish with chopped sauted mushrooms.

SEARED AND STEAMED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the oil or butter in a 12-inch skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. After about 2 minutes, when the oil is hot or the foaming from the butter has subsided, season the chicken breasts well with salt and pepper and place them in the skillet, smooth (skin) side down. Turn the heat to high, and cook about a minute, until the chicken begins to brown. Turn the heat to medium, and cover the pan.
• Cook, undisturbed, until the chicken is firm and nearly cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. To minimize the spattering, quickly uncover the skillet, and remove the chicken to a plate. Place the plate in the warm oven.
• Over high heat, add the wine, stock or water to the pan, and stir and scrape to release any bits of chicken that have stuck to the pan. When the liquid has reduced by about half, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute. Add the capers, olives and all but 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and cook a minute more, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken to the sauce and turn once or twice. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve.