Chicken Pontalba

This was a recipe that I had my eye on from the start of this blog.  Nothing in particular about it; it just looked goooood!  I tried this dish months ago when we went out to Jacques-Imo's, a well known creole cuisine restaurant not far from where we live.  And it was fantastic there, although the chicken itself was not fried like it is in this recipe.  I had never fried anything in my life and this didn't work out to well for me.  The chicken was mushy because the coating never crisped up.  But the rest of the dish was great (and rich).  We agreed this one was a recipe to repeat; however, it would be just as good if you just sauteed the chicken.

Chicken Pontalba

(serves 4)

One of the grandest chicken dishes we know.  A layer of ham and vegetables sauteed in butter, then covered with a layer of crisp lightly fried pieces of deboned chicken then topped with simmering bernaise sauce.

1/2 cup of butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup sliced green onion

1 Tbs. finely minced garlic

1 1/4 cup diced potatoes

1 cup diced ham

1 1/4 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 Tbs. parsley

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne

2 lb. deboned chicken breast, leg, and thigh (about 2 small fryers)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cup Bernaise Sauce

In a heavy 10 inch skillet, melt the butter over low heat.  Add onion, garlic, green onion, and potatoes and cook over low heat until the vegetables are browned (about 15 minutes) stirring frequently.  Add the diced ham, mushrooms, wine, and parsley and cook for 8 minutes more.  Turn off the heat.  Remove the vegetables and ham with a slotted spoon and place in a large dish, allowing excess butter to drain back into the pan.  Put the dish in a 200 degree preheated oven.

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.  Cut up the larger pieces of the chicken so that none are thicker than 1/2 inch or longer than 1 1/2 inches.  Dredge the pieces of chicken in the seasoned flower.  Add the vegetable oil to the to the butter in the pan then heat the oil and butter mixture until it sizzles lightly.  Fry the chicken until they are cooked through and golden brown on all sides (about 8 to 10 minutes) turning frequently with tongs.  Remove the chicken, drain for a minute on paper towels, then arrange the pieces evenly over the vegetables in the gratin dish.  Put the dish back in the oven while you prepare the bernaise sauce, then spoon the sauce evenly over the entire dish and serve.

Bernaise Sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 shallots, minced

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 egg yolks

1 stick butter, melted

Salt and pepper

Make the bearnaise reduction first. In a small saucepan, combine the tarragon, shallots, vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Blend yolks and bearnaise reduction together. With the blender running, add 1/3 of the butter in a slow steady stream. Once it emulsifies, turn the blender speed up to high and add the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in a warm spot to hold the sauce.