INGREDIENTS
Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper (or lemon pepper)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet. Season chicken breast with S&P or lemon pepper. Brown chicken on both sides and remove to baking dish. In the same pan, add shallots and cook until translucent and beginning to brown. Set shallots aside to cool (these will be mixed into the goat cheese butter). Spread goat cheese-tarragon butter over tops of each chicken breast. Cover dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked.
Goat Cheese-Butter
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
Cooked shallots (see above)
Mix butter, goat cheese, cooked shallots and tarragon and spread a thin layer evenly over the top of each chicken breast, just before baking
Tarragon-Watercress Vinaigrette
2 stems of fresh tarragon
1 cup loosely packed watercress, leaves and stems are okay
1 small clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a food processor, blend tarragon and watercress along with garlic, until finely minced. Add lemon juice, rice vinegar and olive oil. Blend in processor until well-mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Celery Root Puree
3-4 large celery roots (celeriac) peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Place celery root in a pot fitted with a French steamer. Pour enough water in the bottom of the pot to just reach the bottom of the French steamer (about 2 inches). Bring water to a boil and then turn heat to medium-high. Allow celery root to steam until a knife pierces easily, but celery root is not too mushy. Check every few minutes, so you don't overcook it.
Place hot, steamed celery root into a food processor and blend until pureed. Add butter and cream. Blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve:
Distribute celery root evenly onto dinner plates. Serve chicken on top and spoon pan drippings over chicken. Drizzle tarragon-watercress vinaigrette over both chicken and celery root puree. Pass extra vinaigrette at the table.
Chicken
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper (or lemon pepper)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
Heat oil in a large skillet. Season chicken breast with S&P or lemon pepper. Brown chicken on both sides and remove to baking dish. In the same pan, add shallots and cook until translucent and beginning to brown. Set shallots aside to cool (these will be mixed into the goat cheese butter). Spread goat cheese-tarragon butter over tops of each chicken breast. Cover dish with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked.
Goat Cheese-Butter
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
Cooked shallots (see above)
Mix butter, goat cheese, cooked shallots and tarragon and spread a thin layer evenly over the top of each chicken breast, just before baking
Tarragon-Watercress Vinaigrette
2 stems of fresh tarragon
1 cup loosely packed watercress, leaves and stems are okay
1 small clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a food processor, blend tarragon and watercress along with garlic, until finely minced. Add lemon juice, rice vinegar and olive oil. Blend in processor until well-mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Celery Root Puree
3-4 large celery roots (celeriac) peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Place celery root in a pot fitted with a French steamer. Pour enough water in the bottom of the pot to just reach the bottom of the French steamer (about 2 inches). Bring water to a boil and then turn heat to medium-high. Allow celery root to steam until a knife pierces easily, but celery root is not too mushy. Check every few minutes, so you don't overcook it.
Place hot, steamed celery root into a food processor and blend until pureed. Add butter and cream. Blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Serve:
Distribute celery root evenly onto dinner plates. Serve chicken on top and spoon pan drippings over chicken. Drizzle tarragon-watercress vinaigrette over both chicken and celery root puree. Pass extra vinaigrette at the table.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA