Salad of chicken breast stuffed with dried figs

4 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1tablespoonUnsalted butter
1Scallion
2ouncesMushrooms
1sliceWhite bread
½ounceBlue cheese
1ounceDried figs
Salt and pepper
4Boneless chicken breasts
1smallBunc arugula
1smallHead radicchio
1teaspoonDijon-style mustard
Salt and pepper
2tablespoonsRed wine vinegar
½cupOlive oil

Directions

FOR THE SALAD

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a medium baking dish. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan. Slice the scallions diagonally, add to the butter and leave to soften over low heat. Trim and wipe the mushrooms and cut them in 2 to 3 pieces. Chop them in the food processor and add to the scallions with salt and pepper. Leave to cook over high heat 2 to 3 minutes until their liquid evaporates. Work the bread to crumbs in the food processor. Crumble the blue cheese and chop the figs. When the mushrooms are fairly dry, take the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs, cheese and figs. Season the stuffing to taste. Discard any skin from the chicken breasts and cut a pocket in each one. Fill with the stuffing and set the breasts in the buttered dish. Cover with foil and bake in the heated oven 30 to 35 minutes or until no pink juice runs out when you cut into the center of the biggest breast with a knife.

Wash the arugula. Trim stem of the radicchio and discard any wilted outer leaves. Cut the head crosswise into strips as a chiffonade. Make the vinaigrette dressing. Serve the breasts hot or cold, cutting them in 4 to 5 diagonal slices and arranging them on one side of 4 individual plates in a fan. Dress the salad, reserving half of the dressing. Pile the salad on each plate and spoon the remaining dressing over the chicken.

Variation: CHICKEN BREAST STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ARUGULA In the recipe for Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Dried Figs and Blue Cheese omit the stuffing and simply fill each chicken pocket with 2 leaves of arugula and a small bit of goat cheese, about 2 tablespoons per breast.

Bake as directed for the breasts with dried fig and blue cheese.

Yield: 4 servings

Formatted suechef@...

Recipe by: CHEF DU JOUR #DJ9262 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by Sue <suechef@...> on Apr 01, 1998