Food and Cooking

Chicken with pine nut crust and creamed leeks: RECIPE

Chicken with pine nut crust and creamed leeks.

Ingredients
For the chicken with pine nut crust
55g/2oz pine nuts
½ chicken breast
25g/1oz butter
1 tbsp olive oil
For the creamed leeks
½ leek, white part only, finely sliced
25g/1oz butter
150ml/5fl oz double cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken with pine nut

Method
For the chicken, put the pine nuts into a food processor and blend to a powder. Press the powder onto one side of the chicken breast.

Heat the butter and olive oil over a medium heat, and fry the coated chicken for 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden-brown. (The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear when pierced in the thickest part with a skewer.)

For the leeks, place the leeks and butter into a saucepan along with three tablespoons of boiling water, and cover with the lid. Cook on a medium heat for two minutes, or until softened.

Remove the lid and heat for a further 2-3 minutes until the liquid thickens.

Stir in the cream and simmer over a gentle heat for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the tarragon and seasoning.

To serve, spoon the creamy leeks onto a plate and place the chicken on top of them.

Source: BBC FOODS