Name: Verjuice-poached chicken and baby leaves with basil salad cream
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 750 ml verjuice or dry white wine; 2 fresh bay leaves; 4 black peppercorns; 3 sprigs thyme; 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley; 3 chicken breast fillets; 100 gm baby endive leaves; 100 gm baby rocket leaves; 1 baby cos lettuce, trimmed, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tsp white wine vinegar; 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick slices; Basil salad cream; ½ cup pouring cream; 1/3 cup sour cream; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste; ¼ cup coarsely chopped basil

Verjuice-poached chicken and baby leaves with basil salad cream

Australian Gourmet Traveller fast entree recipe for verjuice-poached chicken and baby leaves with basil salad cream

Serves 4

Ingredients

750 ml verjuice or dry white wine

2 fresh bay leaves

4 black peppercorns

3 sprigs thyme

3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

3 chicken breast fillets

100 gm baby endive leaves

100 gm baby rocket leaves

1 baby cos lettuce, trimmed, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick slices

Basil salad cream

½ cup pouring cream

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste

¼ cup coarsely chopped basil

Method

Main

1.Place verjuice, bay leaves, peppercorns and herbs in a large, deep frying pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Add chicken and simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes or until chicken is just tender. Remove pan from heat and stand, covered, for 12 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, discard cooking liquid, then cool slightly and tear into bite-sized pieces.

2.For basil salad cream, combine creams, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl, season to taste and whisk to combine. Cover closely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required. Just before serving, stir in chopped basil. Makes about ¾ cup.

3.Place salad leaves in a large, shallow bowl or on a large plate, add olive oil and vinegar, season to taste and toss to combine, then top with avocado and chicken. Drizzle with a little basil salad cream and serve, with remaining basil salad cream passed separately.

Kathleen Gandy

Styling by Yael Grinham