Chicken Roulade with Apple and Dried Cherry Stuffing makes an elegant meal.

Being in the kitchen is a calming, cathartic experience for me. The rhythm of the blade against the cutting board, the snap of the vegetables, and the ritual of seasoning and adjusting whatever I happen to be laboring over bring clarity to my thoughts. Like learning an instrument, you practice cuts and techniques until they are second nature. I tried to approach my vision loss and relearning to cook the same way I would have tackled a brand new aria, note by note, phrase by phrase, until the melody flowed true and bright, shimmering with the beauty of a quiet pianissimo or the abruptness of a short, staccato phrase. In truth, cooking at first with vision loss was very much like revisiting an aria I had learned years ago, with lesser vocal technique and bad habits worked in that I needed to unknot.

Being an engaged vocalist, you utilize your whole body, from the rooting of your feet for breath support to the tension and release of every muscle in your face. When you have an injury, you compensate in some way to try to keep the technique and line flowing. Every breath, release of breath, and movement is both calculated and organic. It is exhilarating when everything clicks and the most defeating thing the next moment when things are out of alignment. When my vision was at its worst after my last Optic Neuritis attack, I had to go back to basics in my approach to the techniques and nuances of cooking. There also had to be quite a bit of compensation and accommodation to set myself up for success in kitchen endeavors.

Building up cooking techniques is like building up vocal technique, slow and steady wins the race.

No longer could I slice, chop, and dice the knife with precision, as though it were still second nature. I had to precisely calculate the width of the cuts with my fingers, and the movements were very methodical and precise. It was very much like practicing scales in Vocalises. Instead of eyeballing spice amounts, I had to learn to use measuring spoons consistently, and to rely upon my nose and fingers and the remaining vision I had to create the dish I was hoping to. Before, I tended to utilize the stovetop in cooking meats and things quickly, but I have since found that utilizing the oven sometimes gives better results for me. Sometimes, the slow, sustained elegance of the line yields more beautiful dishes than trying to overstretch yourself.

As I became more comfortable with my baseline of vision left, I was able to become more adventurous in both creativity and presentation of my dishes. Much of this had to do with becoming more confident in myself, as much of my confidence in myself had fled as my working vision had diminished. The ability to truly trust my instincts and senses has made me a better cook, and reminds me that anything is possible when you work diligently at it

Chicken Roulade with Apple and Dried Cherry Stuffing, served with Roasted Pecorino Romano Dusted Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Asparagus spears.

This recipe is something I am very proud of, as it combines a fair amount of technique and can be plated as a very special occasion dinner if you so desire. Roulade literally means “roll” or “stuffed rolled meat” in French, and looks and sounds fanciful. The chicken gets butterflied then pounded thin, and you not only pan sear but bake the chicken to create a flavorful, tender mouthful. The stuffing is simply seasoned with few spices other than salt and pepper, but the apples hint at Autumn and sweetness, while the sage and thyme and cumin envelop your senses in delicate earthiness and savory balance.Parsley adds a bit of freshness and texture to contrast the silkiness and crunch of the stuffing.

This is something that is fancy enough to be a company dinner, a special occasion dinner, but I think it would also be a beautiful family dinner for no reason other than you want to take the time to reflect over everyone’s week. So much gets caught up in the flash of the coloratura cadenza of the nitty gritty of life, but sometimes the deliberate, languid lines of the simple phrase can be more stunning. This dish takes a few steps in the preliminary stages of construction, but the elegance and the style of the finished plate is spectacular. Paired with a buttery Chardonnay, some Mozart, and the meal is transformed into a lasting remembrance.

Please check out my Blind Cooking Tips page, as I have updated it with some new information!

Things that seem fancy can easily be managed by breaking it down, step by step, to master new techniques.

Chicken Roulade with Apple and Dried Cherry Stuffing

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings: 5

The stuffing in this roulade is what helps keep the chicken so tender and juicy. Take care not to drench the stuffing too much with the chicken stock, as it will essentially disintegrate the structure of the bread cubes. I personally am not a huge fan of gravy, however if you tend to love it I think a nice complement to this dish would be an apple cider inspired gravy.

The chicken itself is seasoned pretty simply, but the pan searing with the butter and the autumn flavors in the stuffing make it very special as everything is balanced and harmonious. There is just a hint of sweetness from the apple and the dried cherries, but not enough to take away from the savory chicken.

This chicken looks very sleek and fancy, but really the most time consuming part was preparing the stuffing. It is something that you could serve for a nice family dinner, or a special occasion. I served mine with roasted Sweet potatoes with pecorino Romano cheese and then roasted asparagus, but I think butternut squash and Brussel sprouts would be a tasty venture with this chicken as well.

Ingredients:

5 Boneless , skinless Chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded to about 1/4” thick
6 C stale bread cubes, I used this French Bread
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
1/2 Cup Chopped Apple
1/4 Cup Dried Cherries
1 1/2 Tsp minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp Ground Sage
1/4 Tsp Ground Thyme
1/4 Tsp Ground Cumin
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 375 F. Line a full sized baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp Olive Oil until shimmering. Add in the onion and Celery, and sauté until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the vegetables to help draw out the natural moisture of the vegetables while they cook.
When the onions are fragrant and translucent, add in the diced Apple, garlic, and Dried Cherries. Add the Salt, Pepper, Sage, Thyme and Cumin. Mix thoroughly and saute for another 3 minutes and then turn the heat off.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the bread cubes with the sautéed vegetables and chopped Parsley. Add in the Chicken Stock and mix thoroughly. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Let the bread mixture sit for the next 10-15 minutes until the chicken stock is thoroughly absorbed and the mixture is moist and pliable. You do not want it too soggy nor too dry.
While the stuffing is sitting, place a big sheet of Saran Wrap on the counter. Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing it about 3/4 of the way through lengthwise, just enough that you can open it up to have a nice wide surface to work with for the rolling part. Butterfly each chicken breast and lay the chicken on top of the prepared Saran Wrap.
Cover the Butterflied chicken with another piece of Saran Wrap and pound it thin with either a heavy bottomed pot, or a meat mallet if you have it. You want to pound the chicken to just about 1/4” thick. Salt and pepper the prepared chicken.
At this point, reheat your skillet over a medium heat with the remaining Tbsp of Olive Oil and the Butter.
Evenly spoon the stuffing onto each chicken breast, and with your hands evenly spread the stuffing to cover the entire top. Slowly roll the chicken and stuffing into neat little packages, and secure along the seams with toothpicks OR you can tie the rolled chicken with string. Doing this will help the chicken retain the rolled shape while it is cooking.
Place the chicken in the heated pan and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side, just long enough to create a golden crust on each side. You will most likely need to do this in two batches with the chicken.
Place the seared chicken rolls onto the prepared baking sheet and cover with Aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then switch the oven to broil, remove the aluminum foil from the that is covering the chicken, and broil for an additional 3 minutes.
When done, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 160 F. Juices will run clear. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven before slicing so the juices can redistribute.
Carefully remove the toothpicks or the string holding together the chicken rolls, and slice into 3/4” thick pieces.