CHICKEN, BASQUE-STYLE

As much as it's refreshing to be back on the line, we weren't sold on Monday's Paupiette (too dry) so I think we're all hoping that tonight's dish will be more pleasing.

More to come after class...

DISH: Sauteed Chicken Basque-Style (Pays Basque), Poulet Saute A La Basque

RECIPE:

2 1,600 G Chickens
175 ML Blended oil
125 G Diced Onions
175 G Diced Italian Frying Peppers
4 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
85 G Proscuitto, diced
900 G Tomatoes, emondées, seeded, diced
1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
¼ Teaspoon Sugar
Salt & Pepper

* Chef's Alteration: We added a brown veal stock to the simmering vegetables before adding the sucs deglazed with white wine.

Procedure:
CHICKEN Quarter chickens. Chop carcasses and brown in oil. Add 125 G chopped onions and brown. Add 175 G diced itlaian frying peppers, 4 garlic cloves, 85 G prosciutto, 900 G emondées, seeded & diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and ¼ teaspoon sugar, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

In wide sauteuse, brown the seasoned chicken pieces on all sides. Degrease pan and deglaze with 125 ML white wine. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

Remove bones and garlic from sauce, skim fat, slip garlic from skins and mash them and return to sauce with chicken. Cook 10-15 minutes, remove from pan, keep cooking legs.

Add 1 seeded and minced jalapeno to sauce with breasts and reheat. Adjust seasoning and serve with chopped parsley. Rice pilaf complements dish.

BREAKDOWN: I wanted to like this dish, I really did. It's simple (we lucked out by having our test today on this recipe) and with sauteed peppers, garlic, prosciutto, and jalapeno, how hard could it be to enjoy?

In the foreground at right, the chicken cooking in the sauce for service. At the left back, another pot of sauce and chicken, right of that a bain-marie of salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf seasoned rice pilaf (rice to stock/H20 to onion ratio, 1:1½:½ onion). In the very back, half-cooked chicken waiting to be cooked for service.

We multiplied all ingredients by three for restaurant service. We made a few mistakes, like chopping the tomato into small pieces when they should have been the same size as the batonette (¼" x 2") peppers and taking the peels off the garlic that had been slowly roasting in olive oil on the stove. The garlic was meant to be used as a garnish of sorts and our chef said afterwards that the plan was to remove half of the peel and put it on the plate. My general philosophy is that if you're going to put something on the plate as garnish most of it should be edible so my immediate instinct was to remove the peel. Oops.

*The major change in the recipe was that we added a brown veal stock to the simmering vegetables before adding the sucs deglazed with white wine.

Visually it's a pretty dish (aside from the large sprig of thyme: why garnish with thyme? and a tree?) and the garlic confit garnish is a nice touch so what was the problem with it?

The sauce was well-rounded, the peppers sweet and refreshing. It seemed as though something was missing. You'd expect the jalapeno thrown into the sauce at the last second to provide that something special, a hot little cheerio to send you on to the next bite. Alas, nothing quite so jaunty. I'm probably spoiled but the gumbo being served for family meal by Level Two wasn't very fulfilling after a few bites. Luckily our Level Three compatriots at Poissonier (Fish Station) were making seared tuna with diced peppers and couscous. Yum.

So what could make the dish better? I'm not sure, maybe if the chicken were crispier? More jalapeno?

Elsewhere in the kitchen, the pastry folks did some interesting garnish for their Wednesday dessert, Peche Pochee Et Framboises, Glace A La Verveine blanched verbena leaves tossed in sugar. I swear to you they tasted like Fruity Pebbles (pix c/o theimaginaryworld.com) ...no, not like a Fruity Pebbles milkshake, like Fruity Pebbles in a good way. Hmm, interesting. What else can you candy...?