Julia Child's Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise {Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream}

 I am completely enamored with Julia Child's recipes right now. I've really only made about 4 of her recipes, but they have all been mouthwateringly delicious. The best of the best.

Julia has a variety of chicken breast recipes with various sauces in her book. I had a very hard time deciding among them, but I finally settled on this version with the aromatic veggies and cream. We are having a Garden Party over at I Heart Cooking Clubs and the carrots, onions, and celery in the sauce remind me of garden-style cream cheese. It's a stretch, I know. I was really looking for any reason to make this recipe.

You begin by sauteing carrots, onions, and celery in butter until tender; then drizzle some lemon juice, salt, and pepper on the chicken breast before adding them to the pan with the veggies and the butter; top them with buttered parchment, and a lid, and bake in the oven until done (depends on size of breast). 

Then comes the good part. The sauce, which is really almost like a pot pie sauce, is very comforting and flavorful.

The chicken goes onto a warm plate and you add stock and either Maderia, or white vermouth, and whisk until it becomes syrupy, before adding the cream and reducing until thickened and saucy. Add the lemon juice and parsley and pour over the chicken.

This dish is OUTSTANDING! It is just seriously SO DANG GOOD. Chef's kiss to Julia Child because her recipes have been knocking it out of the park lately.

Do yourself a favor and make this dish sometime! 

 Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise

{Chicken Breasts with Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream}

Adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

Serves 4

For the Veggies:

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/16" cubes

1 to 2 tender celery stalks, cut into 1/16" cubes

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/16" cubes

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter

For the Supremes:

4 supremes (chicken breast)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

big pinch white pepper

a heavy, covered, fireproof casserole about 10" diameter

a round of waxed paper 10" in diameter and buttered on one side

4 tablespoons butter

For The Sauce:

1/4 cup white or brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1/4 cup port, Madeira, or dry white vermouth 

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper

lemon juice, as needed

2 tablespoons minced parsley

For the veggies: Cook the diced vegetables slowly with the salt and butter for about 10 minutes in the covered casserole until tender, but not browned.

For the supremes: Preheat the oven to 400F. Rub the supremes with drops of lemon juice and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Quickly roll the supremes in the butter with the aromatic veggies, laying the buttered paper over them, cover casserole and place in hot oven.

After 6 minutes, press top of supremes with your finger. If still soft, return to oven for a moment or two. When the meat is springy to the touch it is done. remove the supremes to a warm platter and cover while making the sauce (2 to 3 minutes).

For the sauce: Pour the stock or bouillon and wine into the casserole with the cooking butter and boil down quickly over high heat until liquid is syrupy. Stir in the cream and boil down again over high heat until cream has thickened slightly. Off heat, taste carefully for seasoning, and add drops of lemon juice to taste. Pour the sauce over the supremes, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once. 

Garden Party @ IHCC