Chicken Riesling

Recipe: Applesauce Cake

Ingredients:
2 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 15oz Jar of Applesauce
1 C. Salad Oil
2 Eggs
2 t. Double Acting Baking Powder
2 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Ground Cloves

1 C. Walnuts, Chopped
1 C. Dark Seedless Raisins
1 8-Inch Doily
Confectioner’s Sugar

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease (13x9inch) baking pan. Into a large
bowl, measure the first 10 ingredients. With mixer at a low speed,
beat until mixed; increase speed to high; beat 5 minutes, separating
bowl with a spatula. Stir in walnuts, raisins; pour into pan.

Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
clean. Cool in a pan on a wine rack.

Place doily on cake. Sprinkle confectioner’s sugar through sieve
onto doily. Discard doily.

Surprise, this recipe tastes nothing like chicken!

Riesling Chicken

1.25 lb boneless/skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large)
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
2-3 T. butter 1 T olive oil
1 “jigger” cognac
1/2 c. Alsatian Riesling (Trimbach)
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. milk (or cream)
1 T. flour
1 egg yolk
salt, pepper

In large skillet, melt 1 T butter + 1/2 T oil and saute mushrooms until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Melt remaining butter and oil in skillet. Add chicken breasts which have been trimmed, cut into 2 or 3 medium-sized pieces each, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Once pieces are brown on one side, turn and add shallots and garlic to pan. Add extra oil if necessary. Cook until chicken is brown on second side and shallots are golden.
Remove from heat, pour cognac over chicken and ignite. Light it with a long match or fireplace lighter and pay attention. Alcohol will eventually burn off, and it will be a fairly controlled burn. Add the Riesling and chicken stock. Return to heat and lower temperature, simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (may take up to 30 minutes depending on thickness).
A few minutes before serving, mix the milk, flour, and egg yolk (omit the flour if you are using heavy cream) and add slowly into the chicken mixture, stirring until the sauce thickens. Add the mushrooms back to the pan and heat through. Taste and readjust the seasonings.

Serve over buttered noodles. Makes 4 servings.