When the monthly Local Food Challenges were revealed, Challenger St. James High School in Guelph didn’t waste any time in putting together their submission using five Ontario ingredients: chicken, sweet potatoes, leeks, mushrooms, and cheese. By looking at this photo, would you believe this recipe was created and executed by high school students?

Hospitality teacher Mary-Kay Weiler explained that the students were challenged to come up with their own recipes using Ontario sweet potatoes and chicken, which were then tasted and judged by their fellow students. This one, from High Skills Specialist Major student Sam Fuda was the clear winner. He started with a whole chicken, removing the breast to create this supreme cut. Sweet potatoes were roasted and pureed, and the dish put together with garlic butter rapini (also known as broccoli raab) and Béarnaise sauce, no less. Wow!

Lucky for us, Sam and Mary-Kay were wiling to share this spectacular recipe withOntariofresh.ca. Nice job St. James!

Recipe: Truffle Mushroom, Leek, & Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Supreme with Garlic Butter Rapini, Caramelized Apple & Onion Sweet Potato Puree, and Béarnaise Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Ontario Chicken Supreme Breasts, skin on
1 bunch rapini, trimmed and blanched
1 head of garlic peeled and minced
2 small Ontario sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed, and roasted
6 egg yolks
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon
1 bunch of Ontario oyster mushrooms
2 chopped leeks
1 thinly sliced Ontario onion
Chopped tarragon
Chopped chives
1 stick of butter, cubed
1 cup of softened Ontario goat cheese

Directions:

1. In a food processer, add oyster mushrooms, leeks, and goat cheese. Put into a piping bag, and set aside. Make a cut right through the breast under the bone creating a pocket. Fill the chicken breast with the goat cheese mixture. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken, and sear skin-side down to brown. In a roasting pan, put half an onion, remaining leek, and water. Place chicken in pan, skin side facing up. Cover in tinfoil, and roast at 275°C, until you are done all other prep.
2. Sauté blanched rapini in garlic butter, season with salt and pepper and keep warm. In a food processer, add sweet potatoes, apples, caramelized onions, and season with salt and pepper (add cream and parmesan to go above and beyond!).
3. In a double boiler, add 2 tbsp. butter, egg yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, tarragon, and seasoning. Constantly whisk until thick (don’t let egg scramble)
4. Make sure chicken is cooked to about 170 degrees, and let rest for five minutes. Layer on plate with the sweet potato puree, then the rapini, with the chicken set on top. Spoon over the béarnaise sauce, and garnish with chopped chives

Pictures: Students from St. James High School in Guelph competing in February's Local Food Challenge