Slow Cooked Chicken and Brown Butter Shallots with Roasted Brusselsprouts and Celery Root Puree'

This is the perfect meal for a rainy, spring evening. It is warm and comforting and the freshness of the brusselsprouts with the spice of the celery root tastes delicious. Now, I know what you're thinking, "maybe I'll just substitute the sprouts for something else." I'm right there with you - I hated brusselsprouts for the longest time, but I realized that I had only had them boiled…yuck. When roasted, these guys are wonderfully fresh and green tasting. Give it try and you may end up loving them just like I do!

What You'll Need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

12 medium sized shallots

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon sage

1 cup dry wed wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

20 brusselsprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium celery root

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. Let's prepare everything we need for the slow cooked part of this recipe. Peal the papery skins off the shallots. Next trim any fat from the chicken breasts and cut the breasts into 1" cubes (about the same size as the shallots). Coat the chicken pieces with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet on medium heat until just golden brown. Add the rosemary and sage. Add the shallots and cook until the butter is brown and the shallots are slightly soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Transfer only the shallots to the bottom of your slowcooker and leave the butter in the skillet.
4. Return the skillet to the heat and add the chicken. Cook the chicken in the butter until the chicken pieces are white on all sides, about 5 minutes.
5. Pour the wine and balsamic into the skillet and turn the heat to high. Cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken and butter to the slowcooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
6. Time to prepare the sprouts. When there is only 1 hour left in the cooking time for the chicken and shallots, preheat the oven to 400. Cut each sprout in half, lengthwise and place them in a bowl. Coat in the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the spouts into a baking dish and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
7. Now the puree. When there is only 45 minutes left for the cooking time for the chicken and shallots, fill a large sauce pot with water, place on high heat, and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, let's prepare the celery root.
8. Peal the root and cut into 2" cubes. When the water is boiling, place the root into the water and boil until the root is VERY soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. The softer the root, the better the texture of your puree will be.
9. When the root is finished, remove from the water and place in a blender or food processor. Add the rest of the butter, the cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Puree on high until a smooth, light texture is achieved. You can add more butter or cream if you like.
10. Onto the plating! Place the puree in a ziplock bag and snip the tip to create a piping bag. On the left hand side of the plate, slowly squeeze out the puree in a spiral. Next, pile the sprouts on the right hand side of the plate, next to the puree. Using a slotted spoon, place the shallots and chicken on top of the puree and sprouts. Finally, drizzle the whole dish with the delicious sauce from the slow cooker.

And there you have it! A wonderful dish that is delicious and fitting for a springtime feast.