Chef Adam Robinson, the head chef at Earl’s restaurant in Lethbridge, has been cooking professionally for about two decades, and “to this day, the most satisfying thing is teaching someone a new life skill and seeing them get it. Teaching others is always so rewarding.”
Robinson (Culinary Careers 2001, Cook Apprenticeship 2004) nurtures that teaching spirit in a variety of ways, including hiring college students and grads, serving as the board chair for the Local Apprenticeship Committee in Lethbridge, sitting as a member of the Provincial Apprenticeship Committee, and being a part of Skills Canada events.
“One of the greatest things I learned at the college was teamwork, which really helps me to this day,” says Robinson, who grew up in Pincher Creek and worked at a restaurant for several summers in Waterton before coming to the college. “Today, I lead a team of 22 and I still draw on experiences I had back then.”
Ingredients
PART A
2 ..........................................9 to 10 oz. boneless chicken breasts
........................................................................ (skin-on if possible)
4 ............................................................ strips of dry cured bacon
PART B
4 T ........................................................................................ butter
3/4 cup ................................................. sliced cremini mushrooms
1/4 cup.................................................................. julienned onions
1/4 cup ......................................................... julienned red peppers
1/2 t ...............................................................................dried thyme
1/2 t.............................................................................dried oregano
1 T .................................................................................. fresh sage
PART C
1 slice ........................................... French bread torn into 1” pieces
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Place the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for about five minutes.
3. To prepare the chicken breasts for stuffing, butterfly them by holding a sharp knife parallel to cutting board. Cut along one long side of the chicken breast, cutting the breast almost (but not entirely) in half. Open the butterflied breast like a book, and smooth it out so that it is about 3/4” thick. Set aside.
4. To make the stuffing, sauté all the items in Part B over a medium-to-high heat, until the mushrooms are golden brown and the peppers begin to blister.
5. Place the mushroom mixture and the French bread into a food processor or blender. Pulse until the vegetables are small-diced and the bread is folded in.
6. Next, place the parcooked bacon on parchment paper, and lay the flattened breasts on top of the bacon, with the skin facing down.
7. Cover the top of each breast with about half of the stuffing. Then, gently roll the breast with the bacon tightly to make a nice cylinder shape.
8. Place the wrapped chicken breasts in an oven-safe pan, and put the pan in your preheated oven. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165F.
9. Remove the breast from the pan and let it rest for five minutes before serving.
10. This main course can be served with a white wine and mushroom cream sauce (go to widerhorizons.ca for an extra recipe from Chef Adam Robinson) and other favourite side dishes. Serves two. Enjoy!
To book a table at Earl’s, call 403-320-7677. To book a table at the Garden Court Restaurant, where Chef Adam Robinson and other chefs around the region learned about culinary careers, call 403-320-3230.
White wine mushroom sauce
Recipe by Chef Adam Robinson
Ingredients
PART A
1 T .......................................... vegetable oil
1 ............................................. onion, sliced
1 cup ...................................... chopped crimini mushrooms
½ t .......................................... salt
½ t .......................................... pepper
¼ t .......................................... dried thyme
¼ t .......................................... dried oregano
1 ............................................. clove minced garlic
PART B
1 T .......................................... melted butter
1 T .......................................... flour
PART C
¼ cup ...................................... white wine
1½ cup .................................... chicken stock
¾ cup ...................................... heavy cream
½ cup ...................................... chopped fresh sage
1 T ........................................... brown sugar
2 T ........................................... cold butter, cut into cubes
Method
1. In a heavy-bottom sauce pan, sauté the ingredients listed in part A until the mushrooms are golden brown and the onions have just started to caramelize.
2. Add the melted butter and flour to create a roux. Continue to cook until the roux is blonde and all of the butter has been absorbed.
3. Add the white wine to the sauce and deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to lift the roux from the bottom of the pan.
4. Slowly incorporate the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce down to about half.
5. Add the heavy cream, fresh safe and brown sugar. Use an immersion blender or food processor and puree until the sauce is smooth.
6. Place back on heat and bring back to a simmer
7. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in the cold butter until it is completely mixed together.
