Tarragon Cream Chicken And Polenta Pot Pies Food

CHICKEN-TARRAGON POT PIE

Steps:

• To make the crust, combine flour, butter, shortening, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse together just until the mixture is crumbly and butter is broken into small pieces. Pour 1/3 cup ice water into the machine, and pulse 3 or 4 times. Squeeze a little dough in your hand to see whether it clumps together and is evenly moist. If not, add another tablespoon of water, and pulse 1 or 2 times more. Don't overmix so that the dough forms a ball.
• Turn out dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Lift ends of plastic to gather dough together inside. Press into a large disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
• To make the filling, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, leeks and tarragon, and cook, stirring, just until slightly softened but not browned (reduce the heat if necessary to prevent browning), about 3 minutes. Transfer cooked vegetables to a bowl, wipe out the skillet, and place it back on the stove.
• Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook, whisking, until the mixture bubbles and smells cooked. Do not let it brown. Whisk in 2 cups broth, and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in cream, and cook 2 or 3 minutes, just until thickened. Add salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in remaining broth.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Add cooked vegetables and peas, chicken and sauce to 8-inch deep pie dish or other baking dish, mix gently, and taste for seasoning.
• Flour a work surface. Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll out the dough, turning and flouring often, and cut a shape approximately the size of your baking dish plus 1 1/2 inches overlap all around.
• Roll dough up onto the rolling pin, and unroll over dish, so it rests evenly on top of filling. Fold the edges under and crimp. Poke tip of knife through crust to create 3 vent holes near the center. Whisk the egg with a teaspoon of cold water. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the entire crust with egg wash. Place on cookie sheet, and place in oven.
• Bake 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 375 degrees. Bake 25 to 30 minutes more, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling through vents. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

TARRAGON-CREAM CHICKEN POLENTA POT PIES

Steps:

• 1. In a deep skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the peas and chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes; set aside.
• 2. Preheat the broiler. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring 1 cup chicken broth and ½ cup cream to a boil. Add the polenta and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes. Lower the heat, stir in the gruyère until melted and set aside.
• 3. Push the chicken and vegetables off to the side of the skillet. Over medium heat, add the butter to melt, then stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup cream, stir in the chicken and vegetables and bring to a simmer. Stir in the tarragon and mustard; season with salt and pepper.
• 4. Place four ovenproof soup bowls on a baking sheet and pour in the chicken mixture. Scoop some polenta on top to cover completely. Broil until the tops are browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

TARRAGON-CREAM CHICKEN AND POLENTA POT PIES

Steps:

• In a deep skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the peas and chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes; set aside.
• Preheat the broiler. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring 1 cup chicken broth and ½ cup cream to a boil.
• Add the polenta and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes.
• Lower the heat, stir in the gruyère until melted and set aside.
• Push the chicken and vegetables off to the side of the skillet. Over medium heat, add the butter to melt, then stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute.
• Gradually whisk in the remaining 2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup cream, stir in the chicken and vegetables and bring to a simmer.
• Stir in the tarragon and mustard; season with salt and pepper.
• Place four ovenproof soup bowls on a baking sheet and pour in the chicken mixture. Scoop some polenta on top to cover completely. Broil until the tops are browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

BRANDIED TARRAGON CREAM CHICKEN (CHICKEN A LA VALLEE D'AUGE), CAMEMBERT RICE WITH WARM ENDIVE AND APPLES

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pot over medium heat melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add rice and toss to coat, toast 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 18 minutes, fluff with fork and stir in Camembert to melt.
• While the rice cooks, heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge chicken lightly in flour and shake off any excess. Brown chicken 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and reduce heat a little and melt in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Saute the shallots 3 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove pan from the heat, add the brandy and ignite with a long kitchen match until the flame subsides. Return pan to the heat, add mushrooms and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and reduce 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cream and tarragon and slide chicken back into the pan.. Reduce heat to low and simmer 8 to10 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Trim the ends of endive and thinly slice the tight bottoms. Half the upper leaves across and separate the leaves. Quarter the apples lengthwise and cut away the core. Thinly slice the apples. Add the endive and apples and saute 3 to 4 minutes to tenderize. Dress the salad with vinegar and sugar, salt and pepper and chives.
• Serve the chicken along side rice and endive and apples.

CHICKEN BREASTS IN TARRAGON CREAM

Steps:

• 1. Browning the chicken. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully lower the chicken breasts into the pan and cook them for about 1 minute on each side just until hey begin to brown slightly. Transfer the still-raw chicken to a plate.
• 2. Poaching in cream. Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until softened but not browned, less than 1 minute. Add the vermouth and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cream and half the tarragon. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and adjust the heat so that the cream gently simmers. Cover and cook until the chicken is firm and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. To check for doneness, cut into the thickest part of a breast with a paring knife ¿ there should be no sign of pink or translucence.
• 3. Finishing. Transfer the chicken breasts to a warmed serving platter or individual dinner plates. The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it is too thin, continue to simmer it for about 1 minute and it will thicken. Stir in the remaining tarragon and the lemon juice, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve right away with buttered egg noodles.

TARRAGON-CREAM CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and black pepper.
• Dust each breast with flour, shaking off any excess.
• Saute chicken in olive oil in a saute pan coated with cooking spray.
• Cook until lightly browned on both sides, 5-7 minutes.
• Remove chicken, set aside, and keep warm.
• Saute mushrooms and prosciutto (or bacon) in the pan until browned.
• Add wine (or broth) and heavy cream.
• Return chicken to pan, reduce heat and simmer until sause thickenslightly, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in tarragon and vinegar; cook 1 minute.
• Garnish with chives.
• Serve chicken over slices of toasted bread.
• Serves 4.