Chicken with Apple Bacon Gravy and White Turnips

Over Cardamom Rice Topped with Pea Shoot Salad and Chili Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 4

Ingredients:

16 oz. chicken breast cut into 2 ½ inch chunks
2 small Fuji apples cut into thin slices
6 slices of thick cut bacon
½ C chicken stock
¼ C white wine such as Pinot Gris
¼ C white onion, chopped finely
2 C pea shoot micro greens
3 T julienned red pepper
2 T chili balsamic, such as Olive Crate brand
3 T plus 2 T mild olive oil such as Kores Olive Crate brand, divided
½ t coriander powder
½ t cardamom powder
Pinch of good cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
2 t corn starch mixed with ¼ C water
4 T butter
½ C jasmine rice and ¾ C water

Method:

• Brown bacon, leave drippings in pan, chop bacon and set aside.
• Slice apples and toss them with 1 T oil and set aside.
• Thoroughly wash and trim the white turnips, cutting all but 1 ½ inches of the green off. Slice in half lengthwise, toss with 1 T oil, and generously season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet, dot with butter, bake in 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
• Right before serving toss the pea shoots with the 2 T oil, chili balsamic, a little salt and pepper and the red pepper. Set aside for no more than 10 minutes.
• Bring water, rice, cardamom, cinnamon and about ½ T salt to a boil, then cover, put over very low simmer and cook 10 minutes with burner on simmer and 10 minutes without heat. DO NOT remove lid. Keep lid on until you serve.
• Pat chicken dry and set aside. Make sure meat is nearly at room temperature to insure even cooking. When ready, heat 1 T oil with the bacon drippings to very hot. Add the chicken lowering heat right away to medium high and sear on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil. Deglaze pan with wine, let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the stock, the apples and about 1 to 1 ½ T salt and about 1 t pepper, along with coriander powder. Let simmer for about 3-4 minutes while apples soften. Then return the chicken to the pan, and let simmer for about 4 minutes or so until chick is done. Don’t overcook. Add the bacon, stirring in at the last. Add the slurry of corn starch and water at the end to thicken sauce. Serve over the rice and top with the pea shoots, and arrange roasted turnips on the side.