Chicken and Asparagus with Gruyere Cheese

For this delightful dish, boneless chicken breast and asparagus are coated in a sumptuous white wine sauce with a abundant measure of melted Gruyère cheese, tarragon and lemon give a boost to a mouth-watering flavour that is just right with asparagus.

Serves / Makes: Four

Prep-Time: 5 minutes

Cook-Time: 30 minutes

The Glens Tags: Chicken Recipes, Asparagus, Gruyère, Easy

You Will Need;

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup, chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons plus ¼ cup plain flour, divided
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 ¼ pounds), trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon, salt
• ½ teaspoon, freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon, olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1/3 cup low fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Method:

1. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until just tender, remove from the heat drain, and set to one side.
2. Whisk the stock and 2 teaspoons of the flour in a small bowl until smooth, set aside.
3. Place the remaining ¼ cup of flour in a shallow dish, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge both sides in the flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat; add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes each side, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching.
5. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
6. Add the shallots, wine and the reserved stock mixture to the pan and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes, reduce the heat to medium low; stir in the sour cream, tarragon, lemon juice and the reserved asparagus until combined.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce, sprinkle the cheese on top of each piece of chicken, cover, and continue cooking until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Cheese and Onion Pie

Cheese and onion are old acquaintances and were made to go together.  This tasty savoury pie is easy to make with shop bought sheets of puff pastry, and is great for lunch, or for dinner with a large tossed salad.  It is also one of our favourites

Serves:         2 to 4 

Time:             About 60 minutes if you want to make a good job of it.   

The Glens Tags: Pies, Savoury, Cheese, Lancashire

1. 2, tablespoons vegetable oil
2. 2, large onions, chopped
3. 12, ounces grated Cheshire cheese, you can use Cheddar or Lancashire
4. 1, tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
5. 1, teaspoon prepared English mustard
6. 2, teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
7. 2, eggs, beaten separately
8. 2 good pinches of salt and pepper
9. 2, sheets puff pastry

Method:

Line an oven tray with baking paper and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan / skillet and sauté the onions over medium heat for 5- 7 minutes, or until golden and soft.
Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes, before adding the cheese, parsley, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well, then add 1 beaten egg to the bowl, with salt and pepper to your taste, and mix well again.
Using a cake pan or dinner plate as a guide, cut each sheet of pastry into a 9 inch (23 cm) circle.
Lay one sheet of pastry on the prepared baking tray.
Place a large spoonful of the cheese mixture over the pastry base, piling it higher in the middle, and leave a narrow border around the edge.
Lightly brush the border with some of the second beaten egg.
Place the remaining sheet of pastry over the filling, stretching lightly if necessary to neatly fit the bottom sheet.
Press and seal the edges well.
Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg, and cut two slits in the top to allow the steam to escape.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, before reducing the heat to 350F (180C).
Cook a further 20-25 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden brown.
Note;
For my American family and friends you can purchase real British cheese at iGourmet/British Cheeses why not try them.