Food Thoughts from Italy - It\u2019s Really Springtime In Italy and Connecticut

Written and Photos by Bob Zemmel, Owner of Alforno Trattoria

It’s Really Springtime In Italy and Connecticut

May brings us the first group of vegetables that make for wonderful fillings in this stuffed breast of young chicken served over risotto. We used the skin-on, boneless breast from a 3-pound Bell & Evans all-natural young chicken.

A young broiler chicken of three or so pounds yields a tender and moist chicken breast. We want to avoid 5- or 6-pound roasters, which tend to toughen under high heat.

The skin protects the lean meat of the breast during the high-heat searing and adds tons of flavor to the dish. I encourage you to cook it this way, even if you don’t want to eat the glorious extra fat and calories to be found in the crisp skin.

This boned-out, skin-on breast may be a challenge at home to get ready, but local meat departments like Walt’s in Old Saybrook, Cliff’s Quality Meats in Centerbrook and the Guilford Food Center will all cheerfully bone out your fresh chicken breast leaving the skin intact, if you ask.

We stuffed our breast with a mixture of diced onions, (super sweet Vidalias are appearing in the markets), wild mushrooms, green peas and diced grape tomatoes. We bound the stuffing with a little olive oil. If there is any stuffing remaining, it makes a terrific topping for crostini. Toast a couple of thin slices of crusty bread, rub with a clove of garlic and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Spoon the leftover stuffing on top of the bread, and serve warm or at room temperature as an antipasto.

We served the beautiful finished chicken over sweet pea risotto. You could substitute any rice, potato or vegetable on the side. In Italy the risotto would serve as its own first course, “il primo.” The meat course or “secondo” follows with assorted vegetables on the table. Here in America, we are used to our meat or fish served with a starch on the same plate, so that is what we offer here. This will serve two as an entrée.

SPRINGTIME STUFFED BREAST OF YOUNG CHICKEN

1 skin-on boneless breast from a young, 3-pound broiler, about 12 ounces

For the stuffing: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 large Spanish or Vidalia onion 4 ounces dry white wine 4 ounces wild or cultivated mushroom such as morel or shitake 2 ounces grape tomatoes, chopped coarsely 1 ounce panko bread crumbs 2 ounces peas 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

For the risotto: 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 of a Spanish or Vidalia onion, diced 4 ounces carnaroli rice 8 ounces chicken broth 2 ounces green peas 2 ounces grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

To make the stuffing: Heat a 8- or 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil and onions, and cook until onions are wilted. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring until the liquid has almost evaporated. Add the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and tomatoes and cook until just heated through. Remove from heat, and fold in the grated cheese and bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the chicken: Salt and pepper the chicken breast on both sides. With the chicken skin side up, spoon stuffing on one half of the breast. Fold the other half over the stuffing and secure with a couple of toothpicks.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the sauté pan used for the stuffing. Slide a spatula underneath the chicken and gently place it in the center of the sauté pan. It should sizzle so beware of spattering oil. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until bottom is golden brown. Put the pan with the chicken in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes until an internal temperature of 160 degrees is reached. The top should also be golden brown. Remove pan from heat, and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes while you finish the risotto.

To prepare the risotto: Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, stirring frequently. Add the rice, stirring to coat the rice with the butter. Reduce heat to medium low and add the chicken broth. Stir periodically for 15 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and the rice is al dente. Fold in the peas and the grated cheese. Allow to rest on the stove, with the heat off, for 5 minutes.

Final assembly: Stir the risotto and spoon onto an oval platter. Carefully slice the chicken into 4 pieces. Arrange the chicken slices on top of the risotto. Garnish with any leftover peas and chopped tomatoes. Serves 2.

Enjoy!

Alforno Trattoria • Bar • Pizza 1654 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT 860-399-4166 | www.Alforno.net