HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Thanksgiving represents many things to me. I have wonderful memories of growing up on the farm and all the hustle and bustle of harvest time before winter came. Of watching the Autumn landscape transforming into a beautiful tapestry of reds, gold and yellows.
As the fall comes in, the days grow shorter and the mornings darker, we start to reflect on the year we have had with its inevitable highs and lows. The Autumn season gives us a little bit of extra time to make the most of what we have left in the year before the ‘grand finale’. It is so important to just take the time to be grateful and appreciate the blessings we are fortunate to have in our lives and make every day count.
Since turkey is usually our Christmas meal, I’m making some chicken breast with pears and Gorgonzola cheese ‘bundled’ in puff pastry for our Thanksgiving dinner today.
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- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halves
- 1/4 tsp EACH salt & pepper
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp fresh thyme or rosemary, snipped (optional)
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- 100 grams gorgonzola, crumbled
- 1 medium Asian pear, peeled, cored & chopped
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
- chives for tying bundles (optional)
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/4 cup bottled raspberry vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp honey
Ingredients
Chicken & Filling
Raspberry Coulis
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- In a small bowl, combine coulis ingredients well & set aside.
- Peel, core & chop pear. Chop walnuts & crumble cheese. Slice breasts in about 1/4-inch thickness; sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- On parchment paper, roll thawed puff pastry to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut 4 circles large enough to fit custard cups & have extra on top to gather & tie. Using the custard cup only as a form, place a circle of pastry in each. Line the pastry with thin sliced chicken breast, then sprinkle some walnuts & cheese in the bottom. Add some pear pieces, cheese, more walnuts. Top with another piece of chicken, cut to fit. Bring sides of pastry together in the center on top, pinch then tie with a chive green if you wish.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a cup, beat together egg wash. Lift bundles out of custard cups & place on baking sheet. Lightly brush egg wash over each bundle. Bake about 30-40 minutes or until pastry is puffed & golden & chicken is done (I sliced into one of the bundles just enough to see if the chicken was cooked).
- Slightly warm coulis in microwave & pour some on the serving platter. Carefully lay bundles on top & garnish with fresh herbs if you wish.