Dayrecipe Food Community

for chicken

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

1 10-ounce package ready-to-use spinach, stemmed

6 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

DIRECTIONS

Make sauce:
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots; sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sugar. Sauté until shallots are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add vinegar; boil 2 minutes. Add both stocks; boil until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Strain.

Make chicken:
Soak dried fruit in hot water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauté until almost all liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Stir in fruit and sauté 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Steam spinach until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cool.

Using sharp knife, cut horizontal slit 3/4 of the way through each chicken breast. Open as for book. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place thin layer of spinach over half of each breast. Top spinach with 2 tablespoons fruit mixture. Close breasts over filling. Tie with kitchen string. (Sauce and chicken can be made 1 day ahead; chill.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; brown in skillet, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat. Gradually add 4 tablespoons butter, whisking just until melted. Remove string from chicken. Cut each breast crosswise into 5 slices. Serve with sauce.

1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn over; sauté until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Cool to room temperature.

Top each scallop with 1/2 teaspoon crème fraîche. Top with caviar. Garnish with chives and serve.

3 thin prosciutto slices, each slice cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise in half

2 tablespoons minced italian parsley

DIRECTIONS

Combine shrimp, wine, oil, garlic and crushed pepper in bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Preheat broiler. Drain shrimp, reserving marinade. Wrap 1 prosciutto strip around each shrimp. Arrange 3 shrimp in each of 4 shallow broilerproof dishes, tucking ends of prosciutto strips under shrimp. Drizzle 1 tablespoon marinade over shrimp in each dish.

Broil shrimp about 6 inches from heat source until prosciutto begins to crisp and shrimp are cooked through; watch closely to avoid burning, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges.

12 fresh oysters, shucked, left on half shell

DIRECTIONS

Combine first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Arrange oysters on broilerproof pan. Spoon salsa over oysters, dividing evenly. Broil until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve with bread to soak up juices.

3 1/2 ounces smoked salmon, finely chopped

1/2 ounce thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut into 24 squares

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut potatoes in half crosswise. Mix with oil in bowl. Place cut side down on heavy large baking sheet. Bake potatoes until just tender, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Mix 3 1/2 ounces salmon, sour cream, onion, 1 teaspoon capers and horseradish in small bowl. Season with pepper. (Potatoes and salmon mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)

Cut thin slice off rounded end of each potato so that potatoes will stand upright. Turn potatoes over. Using melon baller or small spoon, scoop out some of center of each potato. Spoon 1 teaspoon filling into each. Garnish each with smoked salmon and caper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)