A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS WEEK’S HOUSE SPECIAL: PAN ROASTED JIDORI CHICKEN BREAST ($19,ON DINNER MENU)
The charming cafes of France collide with paradise at Brasserie Du Vin. With a full indoor bar and seating area, in addition to a quaint outdoor patio, this Bethel Street establishment boasts a plethora of French-inspired fare, including Pan Roasted Jidori Chicken Breast.
Executive chef Marco Elder plans to add this dinner favorite to Du Vin’s lunch menu early next month, and highly recommends this rustic spread of ratatouille and tender chicken.
“It’s called airline chicken breast because the drumette and breast resemble a tail of an airplane,” Elder explains.
A free-range, organic airline chicken breast is the focal point of the dish, and Elder reveals that the majority of the flavor is derived from the red wine brine that soaks into every crevice of the meat. “We boil red wine with salt, sugar and sage and let the chicken sit in that concoction overnight. This results in moist and well-seasoned meat. We then pan roast it, and the sugar brings about a nice caramelization to the chicken.”
Ratatouille, a classic French side dish, is a gorgeous medley of locally grown diced vegetables, including fresh onions, yellow and red bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant and cherry tomatoes seasoned with white wine, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper.
The earthy flavors of the ratatouille and chicken are infused with a lavender balsamic reduction, which presents an essence of tanginess that brings everything together.
Fresh baby arugula also adds some spice to the dish.
“The trick to ratatouille is that you have to slowly layer your ingredients and saute them separately,” Elder explains. “With a good ratatouille, all the vegetables should be crunchy, nothing should be over-cooked. It’s served warm, not hot, so that the taste of the vegetables can permeate throughout your taste buds.”
“This dish was a playful inspiration off of a special I ran about a year ago, and we slowly perfected it to what it is today. It’s a great lighter fare for summer,” Elder says.
Brasserie Du Vin
115 Bethel St., Honolulu
545-1115
Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (lunch), 4 to 10 p.m. (dinner)
Honolulu, HI
See more articles from: Brasserie Du Vin
