CHICKEN BREASTS TARRAGON

By akselden

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken breasts (about 1 lb each)
• 2 tablespoons salad or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 2 pared carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons dried tarragon leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chopped chervil
• or 1/2 teaspoon dried chervil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 lb mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• Sprigs of fresh tarragon

Preparation

Step 1

To bone chicken breasts: Wash and dry. Place, skin side down, on large cutting board. Using a sharp knife with a thin, 6-inch blade, cut just through membrane that covers breast
bone. Bend breast back to break bone and cartilage. With fingers, remove bone.
2 On one side of breast, insert tip of knife under rib bone, and cut free from meat. Cut meat from rib cage; remove rib cage. Repeat on other side. Scrape flesh away from wishbone; remove wishbone. Loosen the tendons on either side of breast, and pull out.
3. Remove skin; cut breast in half. In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and 2 tablespoons margarine. Add chicken breasts (half at a time, enough to cover bottom of pan); saute, turning on all sides until brown. Remove chicken as it browns. Brown rest of chicken.
4. To dripping in Dutch oven, add shallot and carrot; saute, stirring, 5 minutes or until golden. Return chicken to Dutch oven; hat. When hot, heat Cognac in ladle over gas flame or electric burner; ignite. Pour flaming over chicken. Add wine, chopped tarragon, chervil, salt and pepper.
5-Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, 30 minutes. Remove chicken to heated serving platter; keep warm. Strain drippings in Dutch oven (discard vegetables); return drippings to Dutch oven. In small bowl, combine cream, egg
yolk and flour; mix well with wire whisk.
6. Stir into drippings in Dutch Oven; bring to boiling, stirring. Add more wine if sauce seems to thick. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in hot margarine 5 minutes, until tender. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with tarragon and mushrooms.