Chicken Rolls with Orange Sauce

Chicken Rolls with Orange Sauce, which adds some sweetness to the poultry — perfect for Rosh Hashanah.  

By Helen Nash, JTA

This is similar to Chicken Rolls with Mushrooms but with a more distinct Asian flavor. I serve it as the main course for dinner or as one of several dishes on a buffet table. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each (Ask the butcher to butterfly the chicken breasts and pound them thin.)

12 large spinach leaves

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

— Filling —

1/2 cup raw sushi rice

3/4 cup cold water

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

— Orange Sauce —

1½-inch piece ginger, peeled, grated

3 -4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1½ tablespoons lemon juice

1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1½ tablespoons honey

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Place the sushi rice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cool.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Bring all the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small enamel-lined saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

TO MAKE THE ROLLS: Lightly salt and pepper each chicken breast on both sides and place it on a piece of cling wrap. Remove the stems from the spinach leaves and flatten the leaves so they will roll easier. Line each breast with 3 spinach leaves and one-fourth of the filling. Starting with the narrowest end, roll the breast up (not too tight!) until it looks like a log. (I use the cling wrap to facilitate the rolling.) When the breast is rolled and completely enclosed in the cling wrap, twist the sides and close them with a metal tie. Refrigerate if not using right away.

TO COOK THE ROLLS: Bring the chicken rolls back to room temperature, if necessary. Place them in the basket of a bamboo steamer. Set the basket over a large pot or wok, whose bottom third has been filled with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Cover and steam over high heat for 9 to 10 minutes, turning the rolls once. Cook until the chicken has turned pale pink inside. Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 1 minute.

TO SERVE: Remove one of the ties and, holding the other end, slip each roll onto a plate. Pour off the accumulated juices. Cut each roll on the diagonal into 3 pieces. Place the pieces on a dinner plate or serving dish. Reheat the sauce and spoon the hot sauce over the pieces.