Excerpts

Crave The Feast of the Five Senses Cinnamon and Rosemary-Infused Chicken Breast with Baby Vegetables I was just playing around one day when I stumbled into the beautiful combination of cinnamon and chicken. The cinnamon highlights the sweeter side of the poultry, while the rosemary anchors it in savory goodness. 4 main-course servings 2 cups Chicken Stock (page 239) 1 cup Veal Demi-Glace (page 238) 1 cup verjus 4 fresh rosemary sprigs 4 fresh lemon thyme sprigs 2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks 4 boneless chicken breasts 8 baby carrots, peeled 8 baby turnips, peeled 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper Preheat the oven to 200°F. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a heavy 5-quart pot. Cook over medium heat until the liquid is 170°F. Add the chicken, carrots, and turnips. Poach until the chicken is cooked through but still tender and the vegetables are crisp-tender, adjusting the heat as needed in order to maintain the temperature of the poaching liquid, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken, carrots, and turnips to a heavy large baking sheet. Place in the oven to keep warm. Boil the poaching liquid over high heat until it is reduced to 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Strain the sauce into a small bowl. Whisk in the butter to form a smooth sauce. Season the sauce to taste with fleur de sel and pepper. Arrange 1 chicken breast, 2 carrots, and 2 turnips on each of 4 large plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve immediately. Melon and Prosciutto Risotto Cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto has long been a favorite Italian antipasto. So I decided to combine it with risotto, another Italian perennial. The first time I made this risotto, I served it to a large party of Italians. They loved it, and it soon caught on. It's wonderfully flavorful, and also texturally interesting, with the slightly chewy, al dente rice playing against the small chunks of melon. The challenge is to cook the rice perfectly; you'll need to test it constantly. 4 appetizer servings 1 2 1/2-pound cantaloupe, peeled, halved,and seeded 1 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 1/4 cups (about 8 ounces) Arborio rice 2 cups good-quality dry white wine 3 ounces 1/4-inch-thick slices prosciutto, diced 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper Coarsely chop half of the cantaloupe. Place the chopped cantaloupe in a blender and puree until smooth and thick (makes about 1 2/3 cups). Using a small melon baller, scoop enough of the remaining cantaloupe to make 1 cup of cantaloupe balls. Set the cantaloupe puree and balls aside. Beat 1/2 cup of the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Cover the whipped cream and refrigerate. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté just until tender but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the wine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the wine is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cantaloupe puree and the remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Stir in the prosciutto, then the cheese. Stir in the reserved cantaloupe balls. Fold the whipped cream into the risotto. Season to taste with fleur de sel and pepper. Transfer the risotto to 4 shallow bowls and serve. Crave The Feast of the Five Senses . Copyright © by Ludovic Lefebvre. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold. Excerpted from Crave: The Feast of the Five Senses by Ludovic Lefebvre, Martin Booe All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.