Meat
and Poultry:
Pesto
Chicken with Basil Cream
from
Above
& Beyond Parsley...
Food
for the Senses
INGREDIENTS:
8 boneless, skinless
chicken breast halves
8 (1-ounce) slices prosciutto
or ham
1/2 cup pesto
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper, to
taste
FOR
PESTO:
1
cup tightly packed fresh basil
2
cloves garlic
1/2
cup toasted pine nuts
1/4
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1
cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4
cup olive oil
FOR
BASIL CREAM:
1/4
cup chopped shallots
2
tablespoons butter
1/3
cup dry white wine
1-1/2
cups heavy cream
1/4
cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, halved and patted dry
1/4
cup shredded fresh basil
2
tablespoons lemon juice
1/2-1
tablespoon cornstarch
1
tablespoon water
TO
PREPARE:
For pesto: Remove
stems from basil and wash leaves thoroughly. In a food processor,
blend basil, garlic, pine nuts, pepper and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
With processor running, add oil through the food chute in a slow steady
stream until combined. Set aside.
Place each piece of chicken
between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound to 1/4-inch thick. Place
1 slice prosciutto and 1 tablespoon pesto in the center of each breast
and spread across the whole piece. Roll breast up from the small
end and secure with a wooden pick. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons lemon
juice. Place in a covered dish and refrigerate overnight.
For basil cream:
Sauté shallots in butter until translucent. Add wine and bring
to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about
1/4 cup. Add cream and return to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes
or until sauce is reduced to approximately 1 cup. Whisking constantly,
add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in basil and lemon juice
and cook until heated. If a thicker sauce is desired, combine cornstarch
with water and stir into the cream mixture while boiling.
Let chicken stand at room
temperature for 30 minutes before grilling. Combine olive oil, garlic,
1 tablespoon lemon juice and pepper. Grill chicken over medium coals
for 15 to 20 minutes or until done, turning and brushing occasionally with
olive oil mixture.
The chicken may also be baked
in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Coat first with olive
oil, garlic and pepper and cover with foil before baking.
Serve with basil cream, garnished
with fresh basil if desired. For an eye-catching effect, slice breast
halves into 5 or 6 pieces and fan onto a bed of pasta.
SERVES
8
Copyright 1992 The Junior
League of Kansas City, Missouri, Inc. All rights reserved.
To purchase copies of Above
& Beyond Parsley, call the Junior League of Kansas City,
Missouri at (816) 444-2112 from 8:30am-4:30pm M-F Central time.
The Junior League of Kansas
City, Missouri, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting
voluntarism, developing the potential of women and to improving the community
through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. All proceeds
from League fundraising efforts, including from the sale of Above
& Beyond Parsley, are returned to the community.
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