Thursday, September 19, 2013

Make A Bacon Narwhal

A narwhal is an aquatic creature that looks like a cross between a dolphin and a unicorn. These sea mammals swim in Arctic waters and are an important part of the Inuit diet. Narwhals can grow as long as 20 feet and weigh as much as 3,500 pounds. You can make miniature versions of these "unicorns of the sea" with chicken and bacon.


Instructions


1. Move the oven rack to the center setting. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.


2. Spread one sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Put one chicken breast on the wrap and put a second piece of plastic wrap on top. Repeat this step with the other three chicken breasts.


3. Beat the chicken breasts with the mallet until flat. Remove the plastic and set the breasts on a large, flat plate, smooth side down.


4. Slice two mushroom caps into eight slices. Set them aside and chop the rest of the caps into small pieces.


5. Release the mascarpone cheese into the mixing bowl with the spatula. Press the garlic into the mascarpone and mix them together.


6. Add the parsley flakes, onion, salt and crushed red pepper to the mascarpone. Mix them together.


7. Mix the salad shrimp and chopped mushrooms into the mascarpone.


8. Spread even portions of the mascarpone mixture inside each chicken breast. Roll the breasts lengthwise. Stick toothpicks into the seam to hold the chicken in place.


9. Wrap one piece of bacon over the wide end of the rolled chicken breast, lengthwise along the breast. This will enclose the end and forms the nose of the narwhal.


10. Wrap five slices widthwise around the chicken breasts, from one end to the other. Overlap the slices to cover the entire piece of chicken, and wrap the bacon tightly.


11. Put the bacon-wrapped chicken in the baking dish.


12. Cut four mushroom slices in half. Place one half on either side of the chicken roll and hold it in place with a tooth pick.


13. Put the whole slices at the narrowest end of each chicken roll. Hold them in place with a toothpick.


14. Bake the chicken rolls for 40 minutes. Start on the horn while the rolls are baking.


15. Cut two one-inch thick, lengthwise, slices of pepper jack cheese. Cut each slice in half, diagonally, to make four long triangles.


16. Roll the cheese triangles between your palms to round out the edges. Stick toothpicks into the wide end and leave one inch of the toothpick exposed. Wrap the cheese horns in plastic and put them in the freezer to set.


17.Remove the chicken roll from the oven and let it sit for five minutes. Transfer each roll to a dinner plate.


18. Remove the cheese horns from the freezer and stick them into the wide end of each roll.


19. Press small pieces of black olive into the head of the roll to make the eyes and blowhole.

Tags: chicken breast, chicken breasts, chicken roll, caps into, cheese horns