Chicken breast stuffed with Cumberland sausagemeat, sun-dried tomato and basil
Ingredients
- 4 plump free-range chicken breasts
- 175g/6oz Cumberland sausagemeat
- 2 basil leaves, torn in half
- 2 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into halves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ lemon, juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 150g/5oz Cumbrian air-dried ham (use Parma ham if none is available)
- simple green salad, to serve
For the rösti
- 500g/1lb 1½oz potatoes, grated
- ½ onion, grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast.
Stuff a quarter of the sausagemeat into each chicken pocket and press a piece of basil and tomato into each breast.
Drizzle a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, over the chicken breasts and wrap each breast in the air-dried ham to form a neat roll. Wrap each bundle in aluminium foil, sealing each foil parcel.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes - to check the chicken is cooked, carefully unwrap the parcels and pierce the chicken with a metal skewer, if the juices run clear the meat is cooked all the way through. Rest the meat, still covered, for at least five minutes before serving.
Meanwhile, make the rösti. Place the grated potato and onion in a large bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tip the mixture into a tea towel and squeeze out the excess moisture with your hands.
Divide the mixture into four equal-sized patties.
Lightly grease four chefs' rings with butter and melt the remaining butter in a large frying pan. Divide the rösti mixture between the chefs' rings and fry over a medium heat for about ten minutes until golden-brown on one side. Remove the chefs' rings, turn over and cook until both sides are golden-brown on both sides.
Serve each chicken parcel with a rösti and pour over any juices from the foil bundle. Serve with a simple green salad on the side.