Chicken kiev and basil … there's a logic to it - recipes

Sunset, May, 1989

Chicken breast is a very mild, lean protein. Most people find it good for gussying up because it displays seasonings well. Take Chicken Kiev, for instance, a delicate preparation in which the flattened breast is wrapped around butter, sealed, and sauteed.

It was Chicken Kiev that inspired John Stevenson to invent the following chicken dish. Stevenson likes basil, grows a lot of it, and is always searching for new ways to use it. Of course, he is familiar with pesto, and it seemed logical to use this richly oleaginous, fragrant mixture in place of butter, with highly satisfying results.

Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Pesto

3 whole chicken breasts (about 1 lb. each)

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small clove garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons each butter or margarine and olive oil

About 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Basil sprigs

Bone, skin, and split chicken breasts. Place each piece between plastic wrap and firmly pound with a flat mallet until each portion is about '/4 inch thick. Cover and chill while you make the pesto.

In a blender or food processor, combine basil, cheese, oil, and garlic; whirl until a thick paste.

Spoon pesto equally onto each chicken piece. Roll up to enclose pesto; secure each roll with a toothpick.

In a 12- to 14-inch frying pan, melt butter in oil over medium-high heat. Dip each chicken roll in flour, shake off excess, and add to pan. Cook, turning as needed, until golden brown on all sides and meat is opaque in center (carefully cut to test), 6 to 8 minutes total.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with basil sprigs. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 380 cal.; 40 g protein; 6.3 g carbo.; 21 g fat; 103 mg chol.; 354 mg sodium.

Bellevue, Wash.

Chester Carr, known as Copper to his children and grandchildren, favors his progeny with recipes of his devising. At 83, he is still a fountain of recipes, but he perfected his Copper's Green Chili Enchiladas 40 years ago. David Cothrun, a sonin-law, sends Mr. Carr's recipe to us from Taft, California.

None of the ingredients is a surprise, but their proportions make the dish a winner-especially because of the generous use of green chilies and jalapenos. This is not exactly spa food, but Cothrun has tried to hold the calorie line by using very lean beef and blotting the tortillas. He also recommends a careful hand with the salt; canned green chilies and purchased refrigerated or canned salsa may answer much of the need.

Copper's Green Chili Enchiladas

2 pounds ground very lean be&

Salad oil

3 large onions, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, minced or

pressed

2 cans (7 oz. each) diced green

chilies

1 can (1 lb.) stewed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dry oregano leaves

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 fresh jalapeno chilies, seeded

and minced

16 corn tortillas (6- to 7-in. size)

1 pound longhorn cheddar cheese,

shredded

1 cup thinly sliced green onions (ends

trimmed), including tops Salt

About 1 cup sour cream

About 1 cup prepared salsa

In an 8- to 10-quart pan over mediumhigh heat, crumble meat and stir often until well browned, about 25 minutes; add I tablespoon oil if meat is too lean to brown well. Lift meat from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. To drippings in pan add onions and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, about 10 minutes. Return meat and any juices to pan, then add green chilies, tomatoes and their liquid, oregano, cumin, pepper, and jalapeno chilies. Stir to free browned bits in pan, then bring mixture to a boil over high heat. Simmer, uncovered, until nearly all the liquid is gone, stirring often. If made abead, cool, cover, and chill up to 3 days; reheat to continue.

For the enchiladas, pour about 1/4 inch oil into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry 1 tortilla at a time, turning as needed, until crisp, 30 to 45 seconds. Lift out and drain in paper towel-lined pans; keep warm until all tortillas are fried.

To assemble each enchilada, place 1 hot tortilla on each of 8 dinner plates. Quickly top each tortilla with about 1/2 cup chili, about 1/4 cup cheese, and 1 tablespoon green onion. On each serving, make another layer of tortilla, chili, cheese, and green onion.

Accompany with salt, sour cream, and salsa to add to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 911 cal.; 42 g protein; 65 g fat; 43 g carbo.; 1182 mg sodium; 157 mg chol.

Roswell, New Mexico Most civilizations have based their diets on some cereal crop, with wheat and rice the most important of these. The Japanese and Chinese usually take their rice steamed or boiled, and they don't mind if it's somewhat sticky. Near Easterners and people from North Africa prefer their rice fluffy, and often blend it with broth, fruits, nuts, or vegetables to make pilafs. The people of India prepare especially complex rice dishes called pulaos. Bud Lawhead's Lemon Ginger Rice may draw its inspiration from one of these.