Chicken Cutlets with Current Sauce

This tasty little dish is one we were served at Lynnette's house just after moving to Connecticut for graduate school (2001). She is an amazing cook!! I don't think there is a dish I have eaten at her table that I haven't requested the recipe for. Jack loved this dish so much that our first year in CT I made it for our anniversary dinner (He doesn't even remember, but I do because it was probably the most involved recipe I had ever cooked. Now that I am more experienced I think back to that night and laugh that it took me so long to prepare this chicken dish. I am so grateful for Lynnette's willingness to share with me and teach me as I learned to enjoy cooking.  She continues to be an inspiration to me today and I am glad, because it is always good!

Chicken or Turkey Cutlets (I use Chk. tenders and pound them flat)

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch ground allspice

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Cinnamon sticks-3 inches each

1 Large Shallot (approx. 3 Tablespoons)

2 Medium garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons fresh minced ginger

1 cup red cooking wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 Tablespoons Currents

2 Tablespoons Parsley

3 Tablespoons butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (in skillet about 4 minutes)

Mix brown sugar, cayenne pepper, gloves, and allspice in small bowl and set aside.

Saute chicken at high temperature with olive oil (fast) take out of pan saving drippings. Cover under foil. Add olive oil the spice mixture and cinnamon sticks, and cook stirring constantly until fragrant--about 1 minute.

Add shallot cook one minute more.  Then add garlic and ginger, cook additional 30 seconds.

Add wine, chicken stock or broth, currents, and any juices that are now on the plate with the covered chicken.  Increase heat to high and bring to boil while scrapping the bottom of the skillet.  Boil until it reduces to 1/3 cup or similar to a runny gravy.

Take off hear and discard cinnamon sticks.  Whisk in butter until melted. Stir in parsley; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over cutlets, sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Serve with Wild Rice with a handful of Crasins, slivered almonds or pecans tossed in just before serving. (Use Zatarain's New Orleans style-Long Grain and Wild Rice: saute onions in the butter and then cook the rices as directed on the box in the same pan.)