Ok, so I’m on a Fontina, Apple and Prosciutto thing. No one will ever have to worry about accusing me of having an original idea daily………
I learned a lot from Earl Peyroux about pan sauces back in the 1970s. To this day some of my favorite recipes are from his repertoire. There’s Pork Chops with Apples and his Chicken in Tarragon Cream sauce. I also love the Chicken in Raspberry Cream sauce from my Winterthur Cookbook. Many times there is an added note to the pan sauces from these tasty entrées. Mustard goes into the Pork Chops (I use Honeycup) and there can be stocks and wines, herbs and other notes. Here, I bring in so-seasonal Apple Cider. Let’s face it, a great pan sauce is a bonus to a myriad of dishes.
As I mentioned last week during my grilled cheese luncheon, Fontina and Apple are wonderful together. Adding in the Prosciutto gives a nice-and-salty and one more earthy note. Cider sauce is another great use for that half gallon you have in the fridge. Might as well use it up before it turns vinegary, right? This dinner hit the spot.
Chicken with Apples, Prosciutto, Fontina and Cider Sauce:
2 medium yellow onions, peeled, sliced and sautéed in 2 tblsp olive oil and 2 tblsp butter until soft translucent and lightly browned
4 boneless chicken breast halves
3 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 6 pieces each
4 slices Prosciutto de Parma
4 thick slices Italian Fontina Cheese (1/4″thick and large enough to cover the chicken breasts)
1 cup fresh apple cider
bunch fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400F. In a skillet, heat 2 tblsp olive oil and 2 tblsp butter until sizzling. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes each side – enough to get a nice sear. Salt and pepper on each side. In an au gratin dish arrange 1/2 of the sautéed onions on bottom. Place the chicken breasts on top of the onions.
In another sauté pan, add apple pieces 1/2 cup chicken stock, and 1/2 cup white wine. Cook covered until apples are soft, about 7 minutes. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange around the au gratin dish. Top the chicken with the prosciutto and fontina cheese. Top with the thyme sprigs.
Add 1 cup apple cider to the pan juices. Reduce liquid until it becomes thick and almost syrupy. Place the au gratin pan in the preheated oven while the sauce reduces. When the sauce is reduced, pour about 1/2 over chicken and continue to cook for a total of 20 minutes cooking time in oven. Remove from oven and arrange chicken on serving plates. Drizzle the remaining cider sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
yummy!
Sides: Sautéed spinach, Wild Rice, garlic-mashed or a roasted sweet potato……….