Chicken Wellington
Ingredients
- 6 chicken breasts, split, skinned and boned
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 tsps fresh tarragon, chopped or 3/4 tsp dried
- 12 whole black peppercorns
- 3 whole allspice
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp lightly salted butter,melted
- 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pignoli nuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 1/2 tsps cognac or brandy
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 10-oz frozen pastry shells
Instructions
Yield: 6 servings. Combine water, wine, carrot, tarragon, peppercorns, allspice, thyme, parsley and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Poach chicken in liquid for 10 minutes. Remove chicken-cool, cover and chill. Strain broth, and reduce to 1 1/2 cups over medium heat. Saute shallots and mushrooms in 2 Tbsp butter until all liquid is absorbed (about 15 min) and chill. When cold, add lemon juice, pignolis, cognac, parsley and remaining butter and blend well. Hold for assembly. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Thaw pastry shells, Ror each piece of chicken, roll out a thawed shell on a floured surface to make an 8" circle. On each 8" circle, spoon 1 Tbsp Mushroom pate, and set chicken on top. Enclose in pastry. Bake Wellingtons uncovered on lowest rack of oven for 10 minutes. Move rack to highest rack in oven for another 10 minutes longer, or until golden. Serve with Cognac sauce. Makes 6 servings
