Description:

Pastry wrapped, stuffed chicken breasts with a Madeira wine sauce.

Source:

San Francisco a la Carte, Jr. League of San Francisco 1991

Serves/Makes:6

Ingredients

• 6 whole large chicken breasts, skinned, boned and split
• 1 4 oz (112 grm). can pate' de Strasbourg
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
• pastry (recipe below)
• 1/2 lb (.2 kg). fresh mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
• Pastry:
• 6 oz (168 grm). cream cheese
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) butter
• 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) flour
• glaze made of 1 egg yold and 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
• Madeira Sauce:
• 2 cups (475 ml) beef stock
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) red wine
• 2 large sprigs parsley
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Madeira wine
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) flour
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) soft butter
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

• Preheat over to 425 degrees (225 C.).
• Cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast and fill it with 1 to t 1/2 tsp (2 ml) bate.
• Saute the breasts in the 3 tbsp (45 ml) butter for about 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
• Set aside.
• To make the pastry, mix the cream cheese, butter, and flour, and roll pastry out into a rectangle approximately 18 by 12 inches.
• Cut it into 6 pieces approximately 6 inches square.
• Plate a chicken breast in the center of each pastry square, top with 1 to 2 tbsp (30 ml) mushrooms, fold the pastry over the top, and seal.
• Brush the top with the egg-water glaze.
• Prick each chicken breast with a fork and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Meanwhile, prepare the Madeira sauce by placing the beef stock, red wine, parsley, onion, carrot, and bay leaf in a 2 quarts (1900 ml) saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer rapidly for 20 to 25 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1-1/2 cups (350 ml).
• Strain the reduced stock into a 1 quart (950 ml) saucepan, pressing as much juice as possible from the vegetables, and add the Madeira.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and butter.
• Over low heat, stir this mixture into the Madeira stock, add salt and pepper, and continue stirring until thickened.
• Pour over chicken breasts and serve.

Comments

You can use this sauce over the chicken in pastry or for simplification, use it over seasoned and sauteed or broiled chicken! Always make the pastry by hand. A cuisineart turns it into something akin to wallpaper paste!