This year, despite a rather harsh winter, everything in my herb bed (except the basil, which is an annual) has miraculously and boldly come back, even the potted sage, parsley, and lavender. All spring long—well before they're usually mature enough to harvest—I've had fresh mint, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary without doing anything more than an occasional watering and a little fertilizing. It's been quite a treat to have that fresh bit of spring so early.
Those herbs have been especially refreshing with chicken, particularly the boned and skinned breast cuts that have become such a staple for so many of us.
We nowadays tend to take those for granted and even dismiss them as ordinary. But there was a time—and not that long ago—when young chickens whose meat was tender enough to roast, fry, and sauté were seasonal luxuries. They were available only in the spring and summer (their natural breeding season) and, unless you lived on a farm and raised your own birds, were expensive. Naturally, the boned and skinned meat from the breast of those birds, what French cooks call the "suprême," was a very dear luxury indeed.
Actually, one reason we nowadays dismiss boneless chicken cutlets as ordinary is less because they're a staple than because most of them are ordinary. Bred year round, the birds they come from are raised in masses on feed that pretty much insures they will all taste exactly the same—bland and dull. The only way to give their breast meat flavor is to overload it with seasonings.
Suprêmes from chickens that are naturally raised are more expensive and are still a luxury, but they're also more tender, delicate, and flavorful—that is, they actually taste like chicken. And with this surplus of herbs that hasn't cost me a thing, they're a luxury I can afford to enjoy a lot more than usual.
Chicken Scallops with Spring Herbs and White Wine
Serves 2
1 10-12-ounce (or 2 5-6-ounce) boned and skinned chicken breast half
Salt, and whole black pepper in a mill
1 rounded tablespoon minced fresh herbs such as sage, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and/or parsley
¼ cup all-purpose or instant-blending flour spread on a shallow bowl or plate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, trimmed, split lengthwise, peeled, and minced, or 1 tablespoon minced yellow onion
¾ cup dry white wine or extra dry white vermouth
1. Wipe the chicken meat dry with paper towels and lay it on a knife-safe work surface. Flatten it lightly with the palm of your hand and, using a very sharp cook's or fillet knife held parallel to the work surface, carefully cut it in half horizontally. Lay the resulting scallops flat on a piece of plastic wrap, then cover them with a second layer of wrap and, using a scaloppine pounder or tenderizing mallet, beat them out to a uniform thinness of about ¼-inch.
2. Uncover the scallops and season both sides well with salt, pepper, and the herbs, pressing them into the surface with the flat of your hand. Put the scallops, dish of flour, and remaining ingredients near the stove. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil in a heavy-bottomed 10-to-11-inch skillet or sauté pan set over medium high heat. When the butter is melted and its foaming subsides, quickly roll each chicken scallop in the flour, shake off the excess, and slip them into the pan. Cook, turning once, until they are an even golden brown, about 1½-2 minutes per side. Remove them from the pan to a warm plate. They can be made to this point up to two hours ahead. Let them cool and cover them until you're ready to finish.
3. Before finishing the scallops, have everything else that you're serving with them ready on two warm plates. Put the pan back over medium heat and add the shallot or onion. Sauté, stirring almost constantly, until it's golden, about a minute or so. Add the wine, stirring and scraping the pan to release any cooking residue, and let it come to a boil. Return the scallops to the pan and let them warm through, turning them once or twice, until the liquid is thickened, about half a minute or so. Transfer them to the serving plates and, off the heat, swirl the remaining butter into the sauce. Pour it over the scallops and serve immediately.