Barded Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Spicy Roasted Yam Puree and Lemon-Molasses Gastrique

That's a long title for a three-part meal, but it's not as complicated as it may sound. Barding poultry (wrapping it in another meat - prosciutto in this case, though bacon works quite well - and then roasting) is a means of keeping the meat moist during cooking and adding another flavor dimension with minimal effort. The breast, usually my least favorite part of a chicken (thighs are clearly best), are made palatable via stuffing, seasoning, and barding. The yams are oven-roasted with garlic, ginger, cumin, and thyme before being pureed. Finally, the molasses gastrique (usually a caramelized sugar/vinegar/fruit) concoction is reached via shortcut (molasses need no further cooking) and lemon juice replaces fruit.

Barded Stuffed Chicken Breasts

(recipe for two - multiply as needed)

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

several pieces very thinly sliced prosciutto

3 leaves fresh sage

1 small red bell pepper

1 small white or yellow onion

olive oil

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

chives

1 clove garlic, minced

salt

ground black pepper

Saute over medium heat the julienned onion and pepper, adding salt and black pepper.

Filet and pound out (beneath plastic wrap) the two chicken breasts, making as best you can flat, evenly thick rectangles.

Add the chives, garlic, chopped sage, and black pepper to the softened cream cheese and spread in the center of each flattened chicken breast.

Spread a couple tablespoons of the onion and pepper mixture over the cream cheese.

Lay several pieces of prosciutto over a lengthy piece of plastic wrap, adding the rolled chicken breast, and roll tightly, twisting each end of the wrap to seal.

Refrigerate at least an hour, allowing the roll to firm up. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken breasts on rack over pan (allowing air to circulate under the meat while roasting) and roast for ~30 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear when tested.

Remove from oven and allow to rest before slicing into ~1/2 inch medallions.

Roasted Yam Puree

2 yams, peeled

1/2 cup half-and-half

3 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. minced/grated ginger

1/2 tsp. toasted cumin seed, ground

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the yams and slice into roughly 1 inch cubes. Mince garlic and ginger to yams and toss in olive oil in a large (Pyrex) pan. Add seasonings, tossing again to coat evenly, making one layer to ensure even cooking.

Roast at 400 degrees for ~40 minutes or until yams are tender.

Remove from pan and place in food processor with half-and-half and puree gently.

Lemon-Molasses Gastrique

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

juice of 1 lemon

Gently heat the molasses, adding vinegar, and allow to cook slowly for ~10 minutes on low heat, simmering but not boiling. Add lemon juice and cook for another 5-10 minutes, taking care to ensure the sugar within the molasses doesn't burn. This gastrique isn't something you'd like to eat on its own, but, atop the yams, it provides an nicely tart compliment reminiscent of the brown sugar often used to top yams.

Spread the puree in a disc on a plate, topping with the gastrique. After allowing the chicken to rest, slice into medallions and lay atop the yams.

Roasted and Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Seared Grits Cakes and Peppery Salad

This pork tenderloin recipe is an homage to my dad's barbecue sauce recipe in that it contains mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and onion, etc. I've traded prepared yellow mustard for whole grain (country) dijon, added a couple extra seasonings, splashed in a little tarragon vinegar (optional), and swapped the rack of ribs for the tenderloin. When push comes to shove, however, it's still South Carolina's mustard-based barbecue. This version just takes a couple more steps - marinated in the fridge, roasted in the oven, and finished on the grill - and employs a thin lacquer for basting rather than the traditional syrupy stuff brushed on ribs. The grits, too, are a touch more complicated than the old "boiling water and salt" method, though their preparation is equally straightforward, though far more rewarding. And, rather than a pool (or clump, depending on your grits styling), the grits are cooked, cooled in a pan to firm up, cut into cakes, and then sauteed briefly, rendering a crisp outer and creamy inner. Finally, the "peppery salad" contains no actual peppers but is composed of arugula and tomatoes with a spicy ground pistachio vinaigrette.

Pork Tenderloin

1 large pork tenderloin

1 small onion, finely minced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

juice of 1 lemon

1 c. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar (optional)

2/3 c. dark brown sugar

3 tbsp. whole grain (country) dijon mustard

1 tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 jalapeno or serrano chile, finely chopped (with seeds)

~1 tbsp. ground black pepper

Finely dice the onion and garlic and place in a large bowl.

Roll a lemon on the counter to break its internal

structure (allowing the release of more juice), slice, and squeeze. Next, add the dijon.

Combine 2/3 c. dark brown sugar, the vinegars, the herbs and spices, the oil, and the jalapeno/serrano.

Add ~1 tbsp. ground black pepper and stir. Thoroughly rinse the tenderloin, place in a large (freezer size) Ziploc bag, add the marinade, remove air, and seal. Marinate for at least several hours if not overnight.

After marinating, roast in a 350 degree oven until an internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached. Optimal temperature for pork is 155-160 and the last ten or so degrees will be achieved on the grill.

Obviously, this tenderloin has a ways to go, but finishes nicely on the grill. It's then sliced against the grain into ~1/8 inch slices before plating.

Grits Cakes

2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock

1 cup milk

2 tbsp. plus 1 tbsp. unsalted sweet cream butter, divided

1 cup stone ground

1/3 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil for pan frying

cornmeal for dusting

salt as needed

Starting with good stone ground grits, bring 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup milk to a boil. Combine oregano, pepper, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and 2 tbsp. butter. Add grits slowly, stirring constantly to avoid clumping. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, for around twenty minutes. Add half-and-half and continue cooking until grits are thick, finally adding grated parmigiano reggiano. If they're loose, they won't form into a solid block when cooled, rendering the grits cake making process messy if not undoable.

Once the grits have cooked, pour them into a (9x9") pan lined with plastic wrap and misted with a little cooking spray to aid release. Chill in the refrigerator an hour or more (or until cooled completely and firm).

Cut the cakes into four equal pieces (squares), dust generously with cornmeal, and sear in a hot pan with olive oil and remaining 1 tbsp. butter, turning once. The result is a crispy cornbread-like taste on the outside with creamy grits on the inside.

Peppery Salad with Ground Pistachio Vinaigrette

arugula

one tomato, sliced longways into wedges

1/4 cup pistachios, ground

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. whole grain (country) dijon

1 shallot, finely minced

1/8 cup olive oil (optional - the pistachios contain fat)

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

Start by shelling and grinding the pistachios in a food processor. Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk vigorously.

If picking arugula, choose the outer tender leaves, leaving the inner to carry on photosynthesis (so your plant doesn't die). In either case, wash carefully and remove any lower ribs that feel tough.

Arrange the leaves on the plate with tomatoes, pipe dressing over and around.

Plating here could be far more dramatic, but it was late and I was tired, so it came out looking like something you'd get at a "meat and three" (or two, I guess). At any rate, the pleasure is mostly in the eating, and this all tastes wonderful, even if it looks a touch pedestrian.