Paper Wrapped Chicken...Poulet en Papillote

Stack - Bake - Open....Simply Delicious!

Poulet en Papillote  or Paper wrapped Chicken!
I just love wrapped food…the intrigue of a plain chicken breast elevates when it is wrapped in phyllo dough, puff pastry, a tortilla shell or what about a lasagna noodle?!  You get my train of thought here!

Wrapping enhances and elevates a simple ingredient.  Now let’s switch it up and talk about paper wrapping that same humble Chicken Breast.  Ok – the wrap is not edible, but it is the vehicle to creating a mini “oven”, that produces the most incredibly tender, moist and flavorful infused *Chicken (now this ingredient could be fish, shrimps, scallops, lamb or a gloriously vegetarian eggplant).  The process of paper wrapping and baking allows the cook (that’s you) to infuse a combination of ingredients for a perfect package on a dinner plate.   This gift is carefully opened …oh, let’s not forget a key experience –at the table.  This allows the star of this dish to release an intense wonderful “aroma” that translates to mouthwatering!

Note: Aroma reaches the nose before the food reaches the mouth and we can taste it. The sense of smell explores our food before we eat it and accounts for 75% of the taste sensation we experience when first eating a food!  Imagine this applied here!

At The Kitchens Bounty this month of April, the Paper Wrapped Chicken is the star entrée of the menu. It is easy, healthful, fun and delicious … a gift to each diner at your table.  This Paper wrapping technique is a gift for all ages…this was one of my family’s favorites growing up.  I could never figure out, who love this the most, the kids for fun presentation and taste, the parents for ease of preparation (begs to be made ahead refrigerated and later popped in the oven), or the gourmet, for the very delicate tenderness and incredible flavor infusions.

The Basics “go to”; Take a piece of parchment paper in which a small boneless, skinless, chicken breast is put in the center, in my kitchen the chicken breast is joined by julienne potato, carrots, onion – fresh tarragon, chives, a dash of soy sauce, a drizzle of oil (I like sesame here but you can use olive oil) and fresh cracked pepper.  This combination is the center and the paper is folded to create a packet or tent for each individual serving.   In a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes and there you have it.  A detailed recipe along with photos will be up on the website in the next days!  (Note; we will share our own photos after classes this week, as we are surprised in our vast photo files we do not show our own creation of this!  We won’t use a photo that is not our own!)

For a  switch up in prep replace the parchment paper for foil….or a personal favorite “go old  school”, I like to use an all natural brown paper lunch sack!

  Don’t stop at the entrée, take a delicious sliced apple or pear and wrap that…just add sugar and spice and everything nice, and that apple never tasted so good!

See you at our April Tables, or send us a note or photo from yours!
Anyway you wrap it you deliver delicious!  Wishing you joy!

Family – Friends – Food – a perfect Trifecta!

Let's pretend to work at the Kitchens Bounty…..please!
(yes a true statement!)

Okay this week I ran the entire spectrum of fun.  It is Easter/Spring Break and I got to play more than I normally do!  I emerged myself in the world of being a kid, an excited kid!  My grandkids with their parents, met me down at Marco Island Florida and they came a packing…their KB Aprons that is.  Honestly, what fun, we did some real cooking, real fishing (not a lot of luck!), real birthday celebration…and then the last evening the magic just exploded with the little ones all donning their cook’s apron and the roles flew.

 They were waiters, fishermen, cooks, servers and food critics.  There were smiles, laughs, tears (Ava with “Owen took my Dad Towel!”)…but mostly, the delicious ingredient of love was ladled freely. 

I am sure that great food and conversation around a table is love, but the magic that happens in the kitchen, the team ship…is that any less exciting?  My friends tell me with certainty that, “the table is where it happens”, oh but those certain guest…with all the kids, “celebrate the kitchen”.  So as always when the Kitchens Bounty is involved, you get to choose – the kitchen, the table, the food, or all three!

For me, I am thinking there is a reason I use the word “Trifecta” so often, to name products, to build recipes, to describe taste.  I do like multiples.  Examples of Trifecta deliciousness included:

Herbed Breadsticks…I admit it!...these breadsticks popped out of a tube (you know the ones) but the delicious dusting of our Amazing Herbes just developed the taste, made the smell heavenly, and the fact that it was one of the kids who exclaimed “I know what to do, let’s use the Amazing Herbes” – YES, REALLY!

Herbed Popcorn was the snack of choice as we packed our picnic for the magnificent Sunset at Marco, popcorn prepared simply, sprinkled lightly with the Amazing Herbes and tossed (imagine how delicious that 35% Romano/Parmesan Blend tasted…no salt needed!).  For over the top I like to finish with a little Truffle Oil, but that was not the case in this picnic…the kids were in control!

Heated Brats???... I didn’t think so – but this experiment rocked!  In an overzealous bid to use all of “Memeres stuff” the Amazing Heat was sprinkled on a few Brats…even I debated this, but that taste, well we just might have to add that to the recipe book.

Family – Friends – Food – a perfect Trifecta!

Joy friends,

Terri