Courtesy of Marie Odello
Serves 4
2 large chicken breasts, boned, skinned and halved
Flour (to dredge)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
8 to 10 mushrooms, sliced
4 or 5 fresh artichokes, or 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and well drained
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
If using fresh artichokes, follow preparation instructions below.
Dredge chicken with flour; shake off excess. Heat butter in medium skillet, add chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked. Transfer to heated platter. Add mushrooms to skillet and sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in artichoke hearts, stock, wine, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and let cook until sauce is reduced slightly. Stir occasionally. Return chicken to skillet and warm through. Serve immediately. Veal scallops may be used in place of chicken breasts.
Preparation of fresh artichoke hearts, courtesy of Chef John Cox, La Bicyclette and Casanova restaurants:
Start by cutting off the top portion of the artichoke where it begins to taper.
Use knife to remove all leaves around the choke, working in a circular motion and trying to make smooth, even cuts
Peel stem and artichoke base.
Remove the choke from the artichoke. (This will keep the artichoke from oxidizing when cooked.)
Keep the artichoke hearts in water with lemon.
Create a poaching liquid with 1 gallon water, 1 cup lemon, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 2 bay leaves and a few crushed garlic cloves.
Bring poaching liquid to a simmer; drop artichoke hearts into liquid and simmer until you are able to pierce with a knife (approximately 7 minutes).
Remove from liquid and cool down in refrigerator.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
