Poached chicken with rock melon and a broad bean and asparagus salad

December 4, 2008

December is a month when best intentions fly out the door as we get caught up in the party season and all the dietary indiscretions that go with it. One cannot live on party pass-arounds alone, specially those designed to mop up the alcohol.

I try to compensate by stepping up the fruit and vegetable intake and cutting out the carbs and fat in our meals at home during the silly season.

I’m fortunate in having three good poultry outlets nearby and thanks to a bit of space becoming available in my small freezer, I was able to stock up on chicken breasts recently. I was grateful I had, thanks to a heavy cold and a yearning for chicken soup. While I’d normally use drumsticks or chicken carcasses for the stock, a chicken breast had to do and that in turn reminded me of the joys of poached chicken.

Chicken breasts can dry out quickly and become a bit woolly to eat if using other cooking methods. But poaching keeps them moist and a couple of chicken breasts go a long way when served with a seasonal salads. Broad beans and asparagus make a good combination. Supplies of fresh broad beans can be intermittent, but frozen ones can be substituted. For best results, double-pod fresh beans.

Poached Chicken with Rock Melon
Serves 4

2 x 250g skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon each of sweet paprika, cumin powder, ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon each chilli flakes, dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
200 ml white wine
250 ml water
2 pickling onions
1 small carrot
1 stick celery
1 small red onion
100g baby spinach leaves, washed and patted dry
1 cup rock melon chunks or slices

Mix together the spices and oregano and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken. Set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Peel and quarter the pickling onions. Peel the carrot and cut into several chunks. Roughly slice the celery. Place in a saucepan or frying pan with the water, wine and salt. Add the chicken breasts and bring to the boil then turn back the heat and poach gently for about 30 minutes or until cooked, turning once during cooking.

Remove from the poaching liquid and place in a dish. Cool for about 10 minutes then refrigerate, covered, until required.

Meantime strain the poaching liquid and return to the pan. Reduce till there is about quarter of a cup left. Set aside in the refrigerator for the dressing.

To serve, line a serving platter with the spinach leaves. Slice the chicken breasts and place over the leaves. Add the melon and thinly sliced red onion.

Dressing

100 ml light olive oil
100 ml white wine vinegar
Poaching liquid

Whisk all together and drizzle over the chicken salad.

Broad Bean and Asparagus Salad

2 bunches fresh asparagus
750g fresh broad beans or 500g pack frozen broad beans
200g cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon grain mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon verjuice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt flakes

Snap the woody ends off the asparagus.  Cut the spears diagonally into pieces about 3cm long. Blanche in a pot of boiling water for three minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water. Set aside in a bowl.

Shell the beans and blanch in boiling water for about four minutes. Drain and refresh in iced water then remove skins. To do this, pinch a slit in one end and squeeze the bean out, discarding the skin. Add the beans to the asparagus along with the halved cherry tomatoes.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together and mix through the salad. Tip into a serving dish.

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