Esterhazy Chicken Ragu
2 pieces of chicken breast
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 cup butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1/4 celery root
2 Tbsp flour
1 heaping Tbsp Hungarian paprika
1 bay leaf
2 half inch strips of lemon rind cut into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup 14% sour cream
1 Tbsp mustard
parsley
• Slice the chicken breasts horizontally and cut them into thin uniform strips.
• Peel the carrot, parsnip and celery root and cut them into strips matching the meat.
• Using a large, deep walled, non stick sauté pan, slowly heat the oil and butter.
• Add the chicken strips and the onion and slowly sauté until no more pink is showing on the meat.
• Add the carrot, parsnip and celery strips and sprinkle 2 Tbsp of flour on top.
• Give it a good stir.
• Add water but just to cover the ragout.
• Bring it to a slow simmer.
• Stir in the Hungarian paprika and add a bay leaf and the lemon rind strips.
• Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Continue to sauté on low heat until the chicken breast and the vegetables are crunchy tender.
• In a small bowl, combine sour cream and mustard.
• Take a little warm juice from the pan and stir it into the sour cream mixture.
• Add the sour cream mixture back to the pan and stir to combine.
• Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
• Sprinkle the ragout with parsley.
• Serve with buttered pasta.
