HAMACHER CHARDONNAY with Chicken Breasts, Leeks, and Pine Nuts - as featured in FOOD & WINE magazine
Courtesy of FOOD & WINE magazine, October 2007
Cooked in butter until soft, leeks have a savory edge that's delicious with a buttery white wine. Pork chops or a pork tenderloin would also be nice here.
3 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 six-ounce chicken breast halves, with skin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
2 medium shallots, thinly ysliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
~ Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden brown, 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate.
~In the same skillet, heat the oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet skin sided down. Cook, turning once and pressing with a spatula, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to a large rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven until just white throughout, about 20 minutes.
~Meanwhile, add the leeks and shallots to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 7 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and biol until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season the sauce with salt an dpepper. Transfer the chicken to plates. Pour the sauce over, garnish with the pine nuts and serve.
WINE: 2004 Hamacher Cuvée Forêts Diverses Chardonnay.
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