CHEF and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.
This recipe came about after I was contacted by ‘Wisebartender’ a company that specialises in non-alcoholic products.
Anyone who follows my food and travel blog and Facebook page will know that I’m a Community Champion for Alcohol Change UK.
Alcohol Change UK is not anti-alcohol, it is all about where people drink as a conscious choice, not a default, where the issues which lead to alcohol problems – like poverty, mental health issues, homelessness – are addressed. It is also where those of us who drink too much, and our loved ones, have access to high-quality support whenever they need it, without shame or stigma.
Between Alcohol Change UK and Wisebartender they asked if ‘Recipes From My Travels’ would be interested in creating a few dishes using products supplied by Wisebartender.
The dish I chose amongst others was a bit of a throwback to the 70s classic‘chicken in white wine’ sauce.
A white wine sauce is just the the tip of the culinary iceberg…red wines, port wines, reductions, cream, stocks, poultry, fish, meat…..it’s endless…….but the one thing that connects wine sauces….’French cuisine’ Obviously.
French cuisine smashes sophistication…..I mean why serve “chicken in white wine sauce” when you can have ‘Poulet en sauce au vin blanc’ or in this case ‘poulet et champignons poeles dans une sauce a l’estragon et au vin blanc’.
Anyway….in most sauces, they are served mainly, rich and heavy, I wanted a less thickened sauce, but the choice is totally yours.
I will continue to look forward to future collaborations with Wisebartender, Alcohol Change UK and the British Liver Trust where I’m honoured and privileged to have founded the support group for lives impacted by the illness ‘Hepatic Encephalopathy’.
Visit recipesfrommytravels.com for more on Paul’s blog and recipes.
Ingredients
1tbsp vegetable oil
Smoked pancetta
2 chicken breasts
1 large onion
garlic clove
200g/7oz mushrooms
knob unsalted butter
Tarragon
250ml of non-alcoholic white wine
250ml/9fl oz single cream
Mustard (optional)
Method
1. In a large frying pan add a little oil.
2. Gently fry the pancetta until crisp. Remove and set aside.
3. Wipe the pan clean, add the chicken breasts, season with a little pepper and brown on all sides.
4. Remove the chicken to one side.
5. Clean out the pan and add a knob of butter until it starts to foam.
6. Add the onions and garlic until the onions go slightly soft.
7. Add the mushrooms and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes.
8. Pour in your non-alcoholic white wine and bring to the boil.
9. Reduce the heat and then gradually add the cream stirring constantly.
10. Add a tsp of mustard (optional)
11. Add the chicken breasts and pancetta back into your sauce.
12. Cover and gently cook for another ten minutes until the chicken is cooked throughout and the sauce slightly thickens.(For a thicker sauce, reduce longer)
13. Serve with some vegetables of choice.
