Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 skin-on, whole chicken breasts, tenders removed
- 4 teaspoons (20 ml) Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- 8 large leaves Swiss chard, woody stems removed
- 4 whole canned piquillo peppers, drained and patted dry
Stuffing:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8-10 pitted green olives, such as Manzanilla
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
- 2 hardboiled eggs
- ¼ cup (60 ml) parsley leaves
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cilantro leaves
- ½ carrot, peeled
Sauce:
- 4 cups (950 ml) chicken stock
- 2 cups (470 ml) roasted pumpkin or winter squash
- Salt and white pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F (280 C).
Remove the skin from the chicken breasts.
Lightly season the skins with salt and pepper.
Lay the chicken skin flat in parchment paper between two baking sheets.
Bake for 30 minutes, until crispy.
Rest at room temperature and reserve for plating.
Meanwhile, blanch the Swiss chard: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water.
Blanch the chard leaves in the boiling water for 1 minute, until bright green; then immediately shock the leaves in the ice water to stop the cooking and to lock in the colour.
Drain, pat dry, and reserve.
For the Stuffing:
Using a sharp knife, chop together the garlic, olives, jalapeno, eggs, parsley, cilantro and carrot to a fine mince. Reserve.
Assemble the Matambre:
Lay out the individual breasts, skin side down, between sheets of plastic wrap.
Use the smooth side of a meat mallet to pound out into large, thin, even rectangles.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the Dijon evenly on to one side of the breasts, leaving a space at the edges.
Top the Dijon with the leaves of blanched Swiss chard.
Divide and spread the stuffing evenly over the Swiss chard.
Flatten the piquillo peppers and lay over the stuffing.
Roll tightly, folding in the sides, to form even stubby cylinders.
Use plastic wrap and triple wrap the cylinders, pressing tightly to remove air pockets.
Tie knots at either end to ensure complete, water-tight, seals. Refrigerate if not cooking right away.
Heat a water bath to 60 F (71 C).
Immerse the cylinders and cook for 1 hour.
For the Sauce:
Bring the chicken stock to a boil and reduce by half.
Add the roast pumpkin and heat through.
Blend the mixture to a fine puree, season with salt and white pepper.
Strain well, pressing through a fine mesh strainer.
Keep warm.
To serve:
When ready, slice the cooked Matambre to expose the stuffing and serve over the finished sauce.
Garnish with shards of the reserved crispy chicken skin.
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