Organic Breast of Chicken Wrapped in Prosciutto with Broccoli

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons/30 ml vegetable oil
2 pounds/935 g chicken wings
2 shallots, peeled and finely sliced
½ bunch fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
½ cup/105 ml dry white wine
½ cup/105 ml Madeira
6 cups/1.3 liters chicken stock

For the Chicken and Broccoli:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large thin slices prosciutto
8 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 pounds/1 kg broccoli, trimmed into florets
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly on a Japanese mandolin
1/3 cup/80 ml dry white wine
3 tablespoons/42 g unsalted butter

Method:

To make the Sauce:

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over high heat until hot and almost smoking, about 4 to 5 minutes. Working in two batches, add the chicken wings and cook until brown all over, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken wings to a bowl.  

Pour off the excess oil then add the shallots, rosemary and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shallots are tender.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and Madeira.  Simmer for 8 minutes or until the liquids are reduced by half.  Return the chicken wings to the pot.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a near simmer, then simmer very gently over medium-low heat without stirring for 1 hour. While the broth simmers, skim it occasionally with a ladle to remove any foam that rises to the top.  Strain the broth into a clean saucepan.

Boil the broth until it reduces to about 1 cup/240 ml and the consistency becomes thick like cream, skimming occasionally, about 35 minutes.  Season the broth to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the Chicken Breasts:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.  Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Lay one slice of prosciutto on the work surface. Arrange 2 sage leaves over the prosciutto slice.  Wrap the prosciutto around the center of a chicken breast. Repeat with the remaining prosciutto, sage and chicken breasts.  Heat the oil in a heavy large ovenproof frying pan over high heat.  

Place the prosciutto-wrapped chicken breasts in the pan, smooth side down and cook for 3 minutes or until the prosciutto and chicken are golden.  Turn the chicken breasts over.  Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken breasts for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are cooked through.  Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 3 minutes. Do not wipe out the pan.

To prepare the Broccoli and Serve:

Meanwhile, cook the broccoli in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender, then strain.  Add the broccoli and garlic to the same pan that was used to cook the chicken breasts.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  

Add the white wine and butter and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally until a sauce forms and coats the broccoli, about 3 minutes.  Transfer the broccoli mixture to serving plates.  Slice the chicken breasts diagonally and arrange the slices around the broccoli.  Drizzle the broth over and serve.

Tiramisu

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2/3 cup strong espresso (or substitute 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 2/3 cup of boiling water)
½ cup brandy
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
2 cups mascarpone cheese, room temperature
30 (about) crisp Italian ladyfinger cookies (such as Savoiardi), or about 15 larger cookies, broken in half
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the espresso and brandy. Set aside to cool completely. If the espresso mixture is hot the ladyfingers will absorb too much liquid and fall apart easily.  Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a medium metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture is pale and thick and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes.

Cool for 5 minutes.  Place the mascarpone in a large bowl.  Stir half of the yolk mixture into the mascarpone to lighten, then fold in the remaining yolk mixture.  In another large bowl and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar with the electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Be sure the beaters are clean in order to help the egg whites beat up to their full volume.

Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture and set aside.  Spoon a thin layer of the mascarpone mixture over the bottom of a 2-quart trifle bowl. Using enough cookies to form a layer over the mascarpone mixture in the trifle bowl, submerge the cookies in the cooled espresso-brandy mixture for 5 seconds. 

Place the cookies in a single layer over the custard in the trifle bowl.  Spread more mascarpone mixture over the cookies to form another layer. 

Repeat with the remaining cookies, espresso-brandy mixture, and mascarpone mixture to create layers in the trifle bowl, ending with the mascarpone mixture on top. Sift the cocoa powder over the tiramisu.  Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.