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Pimiento Chicken with Mushrooms on Buttermilk-Sour Cream Corn Bread Lee Bailey's Cooking for Friends Yield: serves 6 generously 5 small boneless chicken breasts, skinned (about 2¼ pounds, boned weight) Salt and black pepper to taste 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter 6 Tbsp. margarine 2 Tbsp. corn oil 1¼ cups coarsely chopped onions 4 Tbsp. flour 4 cups chicken stock, heated ¼ cup minced shallots 12 oz. fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced 1 7-oz. jar pimientos, drained and cut into large dice 1 cup low-fat sour cream 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley Buttermilk-Sour Cream Corn Bread Watercress for garnish (optional) Split each chicken breast and cut the halves in two crosswise. Salt, then pepper very generously. Place 5 tablespoons each of the butter and margarine in a Dutch oven along with the oil. Heat. When bubbly, lightly brown chicken pieces in batches, cooking over high heat for 2 minutes per side. As pieces are finished, drain on paper towels. Pour out most of oil mixture, leaving about 6 tablespoons. Add onions to pot and brown them over high heat, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly to keep from burning. Sprinkle flour over all and continue to cook for anothert minute or so, stirring with a flat-ended pancake turner, scraping the bottom as you go. This mixture will start to brown and when it does, quickly add hot stock. Mix well to deglaze pot and simmer for a minute to thicken, then add reserved chicken. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour or slightly more. You may allow this to cool and refrigerate it at this point. To complete the dish, place the balance of the butter and margarine in a medium skillet and add the shallots. Toss over medium heat for about 30 seconds to wilt, then add mushrooms. Sauté for another minute or so, then cover and continue to cook, shaking pan occasionally, until the mushrooms are almost wilted and have given up some juice, about 2 minutes. Add to the chicken, along with the pimientos. Mix carefully and simmer briefly. Stir in the sour cream and parsley. Cook another few minutes over low heat, to be sure the flavors are blended and chicken is hot. To serve, place split (and buttered if you like) squares of hot corn bread on individual plates and spoon chicken and a generous amount of sauce over all. Garnish with watercress. |
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