Monday, March 16, 2009

Farm Food - Blackberry Chicken


I fell in love with a dish at a cute little restaurant near Pittsburgh and have been thinking about it for over a year. I tried googling for something similar but none matched what I devoured that memorable evening. I did successfully find a good blackberry sauce on About.com Southern Food that wasn't for dessert or ice cream. By the way, spring is here at the farm for sure. There are several robins in our backyard, the geese are honking and fighting for territory down at the river, and a fat groundhog just scrambled down the hill towards her den. (Had to get Nugget in from the drizzling rain) Back to blackberries...

Blackberry Chicken

Ingredients
3 medium or 2 large chicken breasts
1 cup + Flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp Bell's seasoning

Sauce
1 1/2 c blackberries plus more for garnish
1T butter
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c Cab, Pinot, or your fave dry red wine
1 T lemon juice
4 T blackberry jam or preserves (seedless)
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1T butter (optional)

Pound the chicken between parchment paper to flatten for faster and even cooking.
Begin getting your saute pan hot with 2 T butter.
Beat two eggs in separate wide bowl.
Put flour in another separate dish and add Bell's seasoning (very popular in New England...go to Vermont Country Store) salt and pepper.Dip the chicken in the egg several times and then immediately cover with seasoned flour.

Carefully place chicken breasts in saute pan and cover. Turn in about 7 minutes depending upon how hot your pan is...not too hot. Overdone chicken is unpalatable. Cover chicken to maintain warmth after removing from pan.

In the meantime...make the Blackberry and Red Wine Sauce

Put blackberries in food processor or blender and puree. Force berries through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 T butter in saute pan or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute for about 10 minutes until tender and light yellow in color. Add red wine and lemon juice. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer until reduced by half. Combine blackberry pulp, jam (I used All Fruit) pepper and salt. Add to wine mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining butter if desired. Pour over golden chicken breasts and add fresh berries for garnish.

The good husband who is very picky has approved this dish! I asked over and over again and he has assured me that he likes it!


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