Recipe(tried): Chicken Breasts in Tarragon Cream, Buttered Noodles, Steamed Asparagas, and Orange, Blood Orange, Red Onion and Chive Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This recipe is from the Herbfarm Cookbook - Scribner, 2000. Though the recipe did not call for it, I pounded the chicken breasts slightly so they would be of a more uniform thickness. I just didn't think they would be cooked through in the 8 to 10 minutes total cooking time the recipe specifies. I had the chicken just about at room temperature and, even then, they took longer than 8 minutes to cook through.

Chicken Breasts with Tarragon Cream
Yield: 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/4 c. dry vermouth or white wine
3/4 c. heavy cream
2 to 3 Tbl. coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large (10 or 12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully lower the chicken breasts into the pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side just until they begin to brown slightly. Transfer the still-raw chicken to a plate.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Add the shallot and cook stirring constantly, until softened but not brown, less than 1 minute. add the vermouth and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cream and half the tarragon. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and adjust the heat so that the cream gently simmers. Cover and cook until the chicken is firm and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. To check for doneness, cut into the thickest part of a breast with a paring knife - there should be no sign of pink or translucence.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a warm platter or individual dinner plates. The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it is too thin, conitnue to simmer it for about 1 minute and it will thicken. Stir in the remaining tarragon and the lemon juice, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Pour the suace over the chicken and serve right away with buttered egg noodles. I also served this with steamed asparagas and the Orange, Blood Orange Salad, the recipe for which, follows.)

Orange, Blood Orange, Red Onion and Chive Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Serves 4

2 navel oranges, peel removed and sliced, crosswise into about 1/4 inch thick slices
2 blood oranges, peel removed and sliced, crosswise into about 1/4 inch thick slices
Small amount very thinly slivered red onion or shallot for garnish
Small amount of chives, cut into 1/2 inch long pieces, for garnish
Boston or Butter lettuce leaves

Line salad plates with lettuce leaves. Arrange orange and blood orange slices, alternating for color, on lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with small amount of slivered, red onion or shallot, and, finally with a small amount of chives. Let each person dress with orange vinaigrette to taste.

Orange Vinaigrette

1 Valencia (juice) orange, zested for 1 tsp. zest, then squeezed for juice
1/2 c. fresh, squeezed orange juice (I got this amount from 1 juice orange)
2 Tbl. Champagne vinegar, or lemon juice
3/4 - 1 tsp. sugar (I decided that this was not enough sugar so added 1 1/2 tsp. more. You may just want to start with 1 tablespoon of sugar.)
Salt (I used about 1/4 - to 1/2 tsp.)
2/3 - 3/4 c. canola oil

Process the orange juice, orange zest, vinegar or lemon juice, salt and sugar in a blender briefly. With blender running, slowly add the oil until smooth. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Makes about 1 1/4 cups