Recipes By D’Arcy Butler

• I begin by place a heavy glass bowl into the freezer for at least an hour to ensure that it is well chilled, which will help you get a better whipped cream. If you don’t have a heavy glass bowl, you can use a stainless steel bowl, or at times, I have placed my bowl on top of a bag of frozen veggies to give me a cold surface.
• Put chocolate in a bowl and create a double-boiler by placing it on top of a small pot with some simmering water. You want to have a bowl that doesn’t stick out over the edge too much and that just fits the pot.
• While the chocolate is melting, make your whipped cream. Bring it to the firm peak stage, but take care not to overwhip your cream. It should still look shiny and glossy, not dry. Place in the fridge to keep cold while you are working.
• Separate your eggs, taking great care not to get any yolks into your whites, which will inhibit your ability to get a good meringue. You want to make sure that you have a clean bowl that has no trace of oil or grease for your meringue; glass or stainless steel are best. It is very difficult to get a really good meringue in a plastic bowl.
• Whip your egg whites into a firm peak meringue. As with the whipped cream, they should still be shiny and glossy looking when you are finished so that you know you have not overwhipped them.
• Give the egg yolks a keep whisk and blend in your melted chocolate. You will need to work quickly from this point forward to ensure that everything is properly mixed before the chocolate sets firm again.
• Fold you chocolate-egg mixture into the meringue. Take care with your folding so that you can maintain as much air in the mixture as possible. It is the air in the meringue and the whipped cream that gives the mousse its texture.
• Once the chocolate mixture has been folded into the meringue, fold this mixture into the whipped cream. Again, take care to fold and not whisk so that you can maintain as much air into the mousse as possible.
• Once all parts are combined, place into the fridge for several hours, and up to 3 days. You can also take this opportunity to place into the dessert dish of your choice so that it sets up in the dish. I used small clear glasses, but there are countless options.

• If you are using salt pork, begin by rendering out the fat on a medium-low temperature. The goal is to melt the fat so that you can sauté your vegetables.
• While fat is rendering, dice your carrots, onions, and celery.
• Once fat is ready, whether you are using salt pork fat, butter, or anything else, add the vegetables and sweat. This means you want to cook them gently without gaining much colour. Your onions should be translucent in appearance once you are completed.
• Add the flour and stir to ensure that it is fully incorporated into the oil, Add a small amount of oil if it is looking dry. This will produce a roux that will give the soup a little extra body.
• Whisk in your stock making sure to dissolve all of the roux. Add your diced tomato, your sachet, and allow to simmer for about 1 hour.
• After your soup has simmered, remove sachet and discard.
• Remove the veggies from the pot and carefully puree in a blender. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and puree in the pot. Make sure that the veggie are fully pureed and smooth. Add back to the pot and stir.
• Taste and make any final adjustments to the seasoning of the soup.
• Serve as you desire.

To make the dressing:

• Melt butter or margarine in skillet and add onions. Sauté until until soft and turning translucent.
• Add savoury and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium to low heat.
• Add breadcrumbs and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs have cooked and developed some colour.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

To prepare the stuffed chicken breast:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Begin by butterflying the chicken breast. To do this, you slice across the chicken breast without completely going through so that you can open it up. It will look like a butterfly.
• Cover the breast with plastic wrap and gently pound so that the chicken is an equal thickness.
• Place the bread dressing in the centre of the breast and spread so that it forms an even row across the centre.
• Roll the chicken so that it encompasses all of the dressing.
• Lay one strip of bacon down and place the chicken at the end so that about 0.5cm/0.25inch and wrap the bacon around so that the bacon just overlaps itself. Continue to do this until the entire chicken breast is covered and wrapped in bacon.
• Take a sheet of aluminum foil and place the bacon-wrapped chicken breast in the centre. Fold the foil over and wrap tightly. Twist the ends as if you were twisting a candy closed.
• Place the chicken on a pan and into the oven for about 30 minutes. You want to achieve an internal temperature of 170F in the centre.
• Remove the chicken from the foil and sear the outside in a skillet until the bacon is crispy all around.
• Slice on the bias and serve. I suggest a shallot mushroom gravy.

To prepare the shallot mushroom gravy:

• Slice the shallots lengthwise and saute in the butter.
• Slice the mushrooms, and add to the shallots.
• Once the shallots and mushrooms are cooked, add the flour and make a roux.
• Add the stock and stir to dissolve all of the roux into the liquid. Allow to simmer until it has a gravy consistency.
• Season with salt and pepper.