Dandelion Chicken

My friend Kristin's mom has a family recipe for Dandelion wine. A few years ago when I found myself moving across the country, the only "pantry item" that traveled with was a ceramic-capped green Groelsch bottle of said dandelion wine. One of the first nights in the new apartment I wanted to make a nice chicken Dijon - except upon getting back from the market, I realized that I'd spaced on getting white wine. So I substituted in the dandelion wine instead, and came up with flavors that I'd never tasted before. Sweet yet earthy, tangy then mellow.

If you don't have dandelion wine, barley wine is a good substitute, and push comes to shove, champagne works well too.

For 2

Ingredients

1 # boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic (loosely chopped)
½ small yellow onion (loosely chopped)
3 small mushrooms (sliced)
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
3 T Maille Old Style Whole Grain Dijon mustard
½ Cup Dandelion wine
½ t Dill weed
Salt
Pepper

Directions

In a sauté pan, slowly heat the olive oil and butter, then add the garlic and onion, cooking until translucent. Add in half the lemon juice. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, bring the flame up to medium heat, and place the chicken in the pan. Allow to cook for approximately five minutes, browning either side.

If you're making rice with this, you should start that now.

Flip the chickens, add the remaining lemon juice and the mushrooms, and sprinkle a little dill weed over them. Stir in the Dijon mustard, and add the Dandelion wine. Allow to simmer for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, adding more dill to taste.

Lay the chicken breast on your plate, spooning some of the sauce and mushrooms over it.

Serve with basmati rice and a mixed green salad.