Jean Claude Roy is a well-loved Newfoundland and Labrador landscape artist whose work is much imitated. I refer to him as an impressionist, a term to which he takes exception. He prefers the word colourist. Despite the label, I think we can all agree that Jean Claude’s art is remarkably beautiful. Jean Claude was born and brought up in France. He still keeps a family home in the French countryside and another here in Newfoundland. I strongly suspect, however, that his heart resides in Newfoundland. Together we made this French-inspired recipe for chicken stuffed with mushrooms.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) butter
- ½ lb (226 g) button mushrooms, chopped
- ½ tsp (2 ml) salt
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) pepper
- ½ tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (125 ml) dried bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, lightly pounded
- 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock
- 0.12 cup (30 ml) butter
- ½ cup (125 ml) white wine
- ¼ lb (113 g) chanterelle mushrooms
- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
How to Make It
- First make mushroom filling. Melt ¼ cup (60 ml) butter in frying pan on medium. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, and sauté. Stir until mushrooms are dark. Remove pan from heat. Stir in nutmeg and bread crumbs.
- Spoon some mushroom mixture onto the end of each chicken breast. Roll up breast and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. Place them, wrapped, in pot with chicken stock that’s been brought to poaching temperature – very hot but not boiling. Poach for 30 minutes, being careful not to allow liquid to come to a boil.
- In frying pan on medium high, sauté chanterelles and shallots in butter and white wine. Add cream and reduce to the consistency of a sauce. Place chanterelle sauce on base of plate and top with sliced chicken breast.