BERRY FARM CHICKEN THIGHS SCALLOPINI MARSALA


William Parker
Director, ccSCOOP

"Such hypocrisy!," said to me snidely over a glass of red wine, as I was minding my own business, sitting in a steakhouse, refusing the grilled veal chop, announcing, not at all smugly, and to no one in particular, that I'd stopped eating veal.

"What the hell's the difference?   You still eat meat," one of my dining companions said.

True, but change happens in stages. One stroke of a pre-Elsie calf's head at the Columbia County Fair can change the blood.

In the meantime, I'm still a hypocrite, coast to coast, from In and Out Burger in Mill Valley, to Kozel's right here in Ghent for one of their terrific steaks. But no more osso bucco with risotto Milanese, no more blanquette de veau and I thought, no more scallopini or paillard.

But anyone who's been buying the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs from the Berry Farm knows it's pretty terrific chicken - the best tasting chicken in Columbia County - and easy to adapt to a lot of recipes. The thighs make a scallopini to break your heart. Yes, no veal. This is better. I'm marinating them in Teriyaki now for grilling. And I'm getting there.

BERRY FARM CHICKEN THIGHS SCALLOPINI MARSALA

1 pound chicken thighs
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
3 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup DRY Marsala
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 - Wash the chicken thighs in cold water, then dry thoroughly on paper towels.

2 - Between plastic wrap or lightly oiled sheets of wax paper, carefully pound the chicken thighs to thinness, being careful not to tear the meat.

3 - Put the flour in a plastic supermarket shopping bag, making sure there are no holes in it. Otherwise you can spread it on a plate.

4 - In a heavy bottomed 12-14 inch skillet/saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Sprinkle mushrooms with salt and over medium heat, saute mushrooms until golden. When done, put on a plate and set aside.

5 - Put chicken thighs in plastic bag and shake until thoroughly coated. You shouldn't coat them in flour until you're ready to work with them

6 - Making sure the skillet isn't too hot, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, swirling it around in the skillet to mix and coat thoroughly. It's ready when the butter foam has started to subside. Put the chicken thighs in the pan and, over medium to medium high heat, brown until golden on both sides. If all the pieces don't fit in the pan at the same time, do them in batches. When thoroughly cooked, remove to a plate and set aside.

7 - Turn the heat up to high, pour in the 1/2 cup Marsala and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Pour in the heavy cream and mix until the sauce thickens. Watch your flame; by now you should be able to lower the heat.

8 - Quickly grind in pepper, add salt, mix thoroughly and baste the chicken thighs. Add mushrooms and baste again. Serve immediately with white rice.