Elegant Lavender And Lemon Poached Chicken Breasts

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 300 ml good chicken stock
• 10 drops lavender, cooking essence or 1 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers
• 15 g butter
• 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 3 tablespoons creme fraiche
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• fresh lavender flowers (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 place the stock and lavender essence in a saucepan and bring to boil. add the chicken breasts and return to boil and poach for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
• 2 remove the chicken to a dish and keep warm while making the sauce. pour the stock into a jug.
• 3 melt the butter in the pan and soften the shallot gently for 3-5 minutes. sprinkle on the cornflour and stir to mix.
• 4 gradually add the stock and stir while bringing to the boil. simmer for 5 minutes then add the creme fraiche, salt and pepper. simmer for a few minutes. add lemon juice and season to taste.
• 5 pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish each chicken breast with some lavender flowers and serve with wild rice or pasta; new potatoes and mange tout would also be good.