- 1 skinless chicken breast
- ½ leek, finely sliced
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- pinch ground ginger
- 2 tbsp double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- dash olive oil
- 25g/1oz butter
- ½ leek, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- pinch curry powder
- splash white wine
- 150ml/¼ pint double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 300ml/½ pint vegetable oil, for deep frying
- ¼ Savoy cabbage, very finely sliced
- 2 tsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 plum tomato, quartered, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- For the stuffed chicken breast, remove the mini-fillet from the underside of the chicken breast and set aside. Cut a slit horizontally through the length of the chicken breast to make a pocket inside the breast.
- Blanch the sliced leeks in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, or until softened and then drain.
- In a bowl, finely chop the reserved chicken mini-fillet and place into a bowl. Mash slightly with a fork to make a paste, then stir in the blanched leeks, basil, ginger, double cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Spoon the mixture into the pocket in the chicken breast and pull the flesh over to seal the filling inside. Roll the chicken in the sesame seeds.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chicken and fry on all sides until golden-brown. Wrap the chicken in aluminium foil, place in the oven and bake for ten minutes, or until completely cooked through. Set aside, in a warm place, to rest for five minutes and then slice into four pieces.
- For the creamy leek sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and fry gently for three minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and curry powder and fry for one minute. Add the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream, salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
- For the crisp fried cabbage, place the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-based saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden-brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully place the shredded cabbage into the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds, or until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and then sprinkle with the sugar and salt.
- To serve, spoon the creamy leek sauce onto a serving plate, top with the stuffed chicken breast and place a pile of crisp fried seaweed on top. Garnish with a quartered plum tomato.