Chicken Breast Ballotine Stuffed with Ham Sausage

• 1/4 pound mild ham (not smoked), coarsely cut up
• 1 small shallot, coarsely cut up
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 large or several small Swiss chard leaves, enough to cover the chicken breast generously
• 1 boneless large whole chicken breast with skin
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups chicken broth (page 5)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1. To make the ham sausage, combine the ham and shallot in a food processor and process until finely cut.
2. Add the tarragon, pepper, and cream and process to blend without pureeing.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. To make the ballotine, bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat.
5. Drop in the chard leaves and boil just to wilt, about 30 seconds.
6. Drain and set aside to cool while preparing the chicken breast.
7. Place the chicken breast between sheets of waxed paper and pound with a mallet until no more than 1/4 inch thick.
8. Place the breast skin side down on a work surface and sprinkle generously with salt.
9. Set the chard leaves across the surface of the breast.
10. Place the ham sausage in the center and spread it over the leaves, leaving a 1-inch edge exposed along the long sides.
11. Starting from a long side, roll up the breast to enclose the sausage and then tuck in the ends.
12. Wrap in a length of cheesecloth long enough to leave 1 inch at either end after wrapping.
13. Tie off the ends with kitchen string, and girdle the roll in four places with kitchen string.
14. To cook the ballotine, heat the butter in a deep-sided saute pan or large pot over medium-high heat.
15. Add the ballotine and cook, turning often, until browned all around, about 10 minutes.
16. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
17. Decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer, cover, and cook, turning three times, until firm when pressed but still a little bouncy rather than hard, about 20 minutes.
18. Transfer to a plate and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
19. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl and set aside to cool while the ballotine rests.
20. Skim the fat off the top of the cooled broth, place the broth in a small saucepan, and whisk in the mustard.
21. Put the pan over medium heat and heat just until the mixture begins to boil.
22. To serve, remove the cheesecloth from the ballotine and slice it into 1/2-inch-thick rounds.
23. Arrange the slices on a platter, pour the warm sauce over them, and serve.

ham, shallot, tarragon, freshly ground black pepper, heavy cream, chard, chicken, kosher salt, butter, chicken broth, mustard

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-breast-ballotine-stuffed-with-ham-sausage-389507 (may not work)