Chicken with Spicy Almond Sauce - serves 4
1/4 cup olive oil
1 head garlic, peeled
3/4 cup bread, torn in small pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 bay leaf
4 chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and toss for about 1 minute, then remove and reserve.
Soak the bread in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown the bread in the skillet for 3 minutes, then remove and reserve.
Put the garlic, bread, almonds and bay leaf in a blender and process until you have a pasta.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the same skillet and brown the chicken pieces on both sides. Mix the garlic pasta with the chicken broth, and add it to the pan with the chicken. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and keep warm, leaving the sauce in the pan. Skim off and remove any excess fat with a spoon.
Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together and gradually add to the pan, stirring it into the sauce. Pour the finished sauce over the chicken and serve.