SOWA, Sagra, and "What's for Dinner Honey?"

SOWA Open Market is one of Betty's favorites.  Craftsmen, designers, bakers, and makers of all sorts sell unique, engaging....any and everything at this outdoor market.  Read about the SOWA neighborhood here>

Hingham's Libby Morris** owns the glorious Giardini di Sole in one of the SOWA buildings {not outside}.  It features ceramic tableware, garden accessories and tables handcrafted in Italy.  It has us dreaming of creating a beautiful outdoor room...

Then there's a Giardini di Sole food blog with recipes that answer the burning question "why gnocchi"? Handmade spinach and ricotta ravioli, Roman chicken cacciatore - more than one reason to dream about a trip to Italy {or to long for one of Giardini's ceramic platters as a consolation.}

The beautiful, bountiful lemon is featured in so many traditional ceramic patterns that it seems only right that she graciously gave us a recipe with 'limone' for  "What's for Dinner Honey?" this week. 

Tagilata di Pollo al Limone {Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast with Lemon}- from Libby Morris

Libby says that the beauty of this recipe is the simple list of ingredients, the infusion of lemon flavor into the chicken via the steaming effect of cooking the chicken after it has been  grilled in the the foil pouch, and the trust the recipe places in the cook to follow their own instincts as to amounts - it's very typical of Italian recipes to be vague about how much lemon juice or herbs, or olive oil to use - it is a matter of "instinct"!

1 whole boneless chicken breast, about ½ lb
1 lemon, zest of half the lemon finely chopped
white wine
fresh rosemary
fresh sage
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using either an indoor or outdoor grill, turn the heat to high.  Once the grill is hot, reduce heat to medium and place the whole chicken breast on the grill.

Cook the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the size of the chicken breast. Turn the chicken once at the midpoint.In total, the chicken should grill for 6 – 8 minutes, remove from heat.

In a baking dish place 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, one on top of the other.  Place the grilled chicken breast in the center of the foil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with several generous squeezes of lemon juice and with the finely chopped zest of half of the lemon. Place 2 – 3 leaves of sage on the chicken and sprinkle with fresh rosemary to taste. Pour 2 – 3 tablespoons of white wine over the chicken.

Drizzle with a liberal pour of extra virgin olive oil. Close the foil into a loose tent-like packet, making sure to seal all the edges. Be sure not to puncture the pouch of foil during cooking.

Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for at least 5 minute and no more than 8 minutes, again the size of the chicken breast will determine amount of time in oven. Remove from oven, carefully open the foil pouch and move the chicken breast to a cutting board.

Slice the chicken with a sharp knife in much the same way as one would thinly slice a “tagliata di manzo” or sirloin steak – horizontally across the filet
Place the slices of chicken onto a serving platter, pour the liquid from the baking pouch over the chicken slices and finish with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately  {Betty thinks with Robert's corn risotto or spring pea and herb pasta, or Holly Hill's beet and blood orange salad.}

**Libby is celebrating the SOWA Open Market by holding a Sagra every Sunday in the summer from 11:00-4:00 in her showroom.  What's a Sagra?  Read more here >