Roasted Chicken with Asiago Polenta and Truffled Mushroom

Mushrooms and truffle oil are paired with hearty polenta and simple roasted chicken. Look for packages of mixed wild mushrooms in the produce section, or use any combination of oyster, shiitake, chanterelle, and cremini mushrooms.

Yield 6 servings (serving size: about 6 ounces chicken, 2 1/2 tablespoons gravy, 1/2 cup polenta, and 1/2 cup mushrooms)
Ingredients

* Chicken:
* 1 (5-pound) roasting chicken
* 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
* 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 orange, halved
* 6 garlic cloves, peeled
* 2 thyme sprigs
* 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
* Cooking spray
* 1/2 cup white wine
* 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
*

Mushrooms:
* 2 teaspoons butter
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 12 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, sliced (about 8 cups)
* 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
* 2 teaspoons truffle oil
*

Polenta:
* 2 cups fat-free milk
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup instant dry polenta
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.

To prepare chicken, remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine thyme, orange juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic; rub over breast and drumsticks under loosened skin. Place orange halves in body cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken.

Combine 6 garlic cloves, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 cup of broth in a shallow roasting pan. Place chicken on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Insert meat thermometer into the meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone.

Bake at 325° for 2 hours or until thermometer registers 180°. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Place chicken on a platter, reserving drippings in pan; cover chicken and keep warm. Add wine to drippings in pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; discard thyme sprigs.

Place flour in a small saucepan; gradually add remaining broth, stirring with a whisk until blended. Set aside. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into flour mixture in saucepan, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Keep warm.

To prepare mushrooms, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and mushrooms; cook 5 minutes or until the mushrooms release moisture and darken, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in truffle oil.

To prepare polenta, combine milk, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk; reduce heat, and cook 2 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Serve with chicken, gravy, and mushrooms.

Nutritional Information

Calories:467 (30% from fat)
Fat:15.8g (sat 5.6g,mono 5.9g,poly 2.7g)
Protein:52.4g
Carbohydrate:27.5g
Fiber:3.4g
Cholesterol:135mg
Iron:2.9mg
Sodium:814mg
Calcium:221mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2004

Poached Salmon with Mushrooms, Tarragon, and Cream

Serves 1

2 T unsalted butter
4 oz fresh mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups dry white wine, dry white vermouth, or part winea nd part water
1 salmon fillet, about 6 oz, skinned
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 T chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish

In a small skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until they give off some liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the wine into a saucepan large enough to hold the salmon and bring to a simmer. Slip in the salmon, cover the pan, and poach gently over low heat until the salmon tests done (it should appear opaque when pierced with the point of a knife), 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the salmon from the poaching liquid with a slotted skimmer and set aside on a warmed plate; keep warm.

Add the cream and 1 T tarragon to the poaching liquid and reduce over high heat to a slightly syrupy sauce. Add the mushrooms and warm through. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Garnish with a bit more tarragon.

From Solo Suppers, by Joyce Goldstein.