Local Flavor

North Sound resident finalist in West Coast cooking contest

Creativity in the kitchen is second nature to Tina Hoban, so when she saw the Foster Farms cooking contest to showcase local ingredients (including chicken, of course), Hoban was in. The Bellingham resident was one of only six competitors for the $10,000 grand prize with her imaginative recipe: Chicken with Cherry Tapenade over Creamy Pancetta Polenta. Hoban is a pastry chef who trained at Seattle Central Community College’s specialty bread and dessert program. After graduating and working at various restaurants in the Seattle area, Hoban and her husband moved to Bellingham, purchased a small farm and started their family. While her children were young, Hoban and her husband began to raise their own meat, eggs and produce.

After finding a passion in creating food from organic sources, Hoban started her own business called Scratch Desserts. All of her desserts are created with the eggs and fruit from her own home. You can find her goods at Time-In Play Café in Bellingham, as well as the Ferndale Public Market (opening for the season in April).

When Hoban heard of the Foster Farms contest, she began thinking of ways in which she could incorporate cherries, her favorite local fruit, into a chicken dish. No stranger to eclectic ingredient combinations, Hoban decided to make a tapenade with cherries and kalamata olives. What a hit! With more than 2,000 recipe submissions, Hoban’s recipe was chosen along with only five others. The contest took place Sept. 30 at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in California. Hoban’s recipe was not chosen as the $10,000 grand-prize winner, yet she says she was honored to be among just a few finalists.

Check out Hoban’s website at scratchdesserts.com to learn more about her and to find where to indulge in some of her delicacies!

Chicken with Cherry Tapenade over Cream Pancetta Polenta

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 Foster Farms chicken breast halves, boneless & skinless
  • 1 clove garlic
  • ½ cup + 3 tbls dried sweet Washington cherries
  • ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1 tsp capers, drained
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbls olive oil, divided
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 slices pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup instant polenta
  • 3.5 oz. chevre (soft goat cheese)
  • 2 tbls fresh rosemary, minced

Directions

  1. Prepare tapenade by placing in the bowl of a food processor the garlic, 1/2 cup cherries, olives, capers, balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.



  2. Slice the chicken breast lengthwise along the longest side, being careful not to cut all of the way through.  Spread 1/4 of the tapenade inside each breast and fold closed. Sprinkle chicken with one teaspoon salt and the pepper; set aside.

  3. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook pancetta pieces until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Place chicken breasts in pan and cook, turning, about 7 minutes per side, or until cooked throughout. During the last two minutes of cooking, add the three tablespoons of dried cherries and wine to the pan.



  4. While the chicken is cooking, bring 4 cups of water and remaining salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to low; slowly whisk in polenta. Cook, stirring constantly, until the polenta is thick and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes. Add goat cheese, rosemary and reserved pancetta; stir until creamy. Spoon polenta onto plate and top with chicken breast half. Drizzle with pan juice sauce and cherries.