Stuffed Hazelnut Chicken
Ingredients for Sauce:
3 cups Martinellis sparkling cider
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cassis liquor
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Ingredients for Chicken Beasts:
3 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and left in one piece.
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, minced
1/2 cup minced onions
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
1 cup peeled, cored, and finely chopped apple
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cassis liquor
2 Tablespoons brandy
1/3 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/8 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup apple cider
2 cups coarse, fresh bread crumbs
2 cups ground hazelnuts
1 cup fine crackermeal
6 to 8 ounces cream cheese
Peanut oil
Sauce: Boil sparkling cider to reduce to 1 cup. In another saucepan, boil vinegar and cassis to reduce to 1/4 cup. Combine reduced cider, reduced vinegar mixture, brandy, and chicken stock and boil to reduce to 3/4 cup. Add cream and simmer briskly to reduce until mixture thickens and coats a wooden spoon, about 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken Breasts: Between sheets of waxed paper, pound chicken breasts to flatten. Saute garlic, shallots, celery, and apple in butter over medium-low heat until soft, but not brown (about 10 minutes). Allow to cool. Mix in 2 eggs, cream, and cider. Mix in bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Spread stuffing over chicken breasts. Place teaspoon of cream cheese on top of stuffing. Beginning with widest part, roll up breasts firmly. Beat 2 eggs; mix hazelnuts and crackermeal. Dip stuffed chicken breasts in eggs, then in hazelnut crackermeal mixture. Heat oil. When hot, brown chicken breasts. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until thermometer reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees. Place on serving dish. Spoon apple cider sauce over top.
Serves: 6