Belle Isle School of Cookery
Lisbellaw
Enniskillen
County Fermanagh
Northern Ireland
BT94 5HG
Tel: +44 (0)28 6638 7231
Fax: +44 (0)28 6638 7261
info@irish-cookery-school.com
www.irishcookeryschool.com
Smithsonian Festival-Northern Ireland 2007
Chicken breasts stuffed with herbs and wrapped in black bacon
This is a delicious cake. A pastry base strewn with apples and covered in an elderflower sauce cooked gently to form smooth custard filling.
Ingredients
Serves 4
3-4 free range chicken breasts
12-16 rashers of black bacon
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
Large handful each of flat leaf parsley and basil
1 clove garlic
Zest of a lemon
Method
- Using the longest knife you have, cut into the meat towards the lower part of the chicken breast (the section touching the board it is on), slicing it the whole way through to the back without slicing it in half. Gently open up the piece you have cut by rolling it backwards and continue cutting and rolling back in this way. You are aiming to open the meat out into a thinner, flatter piece than you started with.
- Brush the chicken with Dijon and season well with salt and pepper. Crush or grate the garlic and rub over the meat. There is no need to chop the herbs. Lay them over the surface of the meat. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the herbs.
- Roll the chicken up again as tightly as you can.
- Lay the strips of streaky bacon on a board and run a knife over the top at an angle to lengthen them. Place the rolled chicken fillet on the bacon and roll up once again so that you end up with a neat log. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. The chilling will help to maintain the shape of the log during cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Remove the cling film and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Allow
to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with carrot and cumin salad.
N.B.
This dish can be prepared the day before and chilled over night.