Lemon Butter Chicken Breasts With Shrimp and Celery - A Singapore General Elections 2011 Special Dish

The general elections was upon us Singaporeans this past weekend, and after nearly 2 decades, I finally had the opportunity to cast my vote as a citizen.

Indeed, this year's election has been somewhat of a historic one, with the first ever victory by an opposition party in a GRC, and the use of social and new media by the parties in an effort to win the votes of the younger generation.

On Saturday, which was polling day, I decided to concoct a dish to commemorate this occasion, and came up with a rich and decadent surf and turf dish.

The chicken breasts I got was from NTUC which was more than good enough as they were cheap and of good quality.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and lightly coat it with some flour. Similarly, season a couple of tiger prawns with salt and pepper.

To make the celery hash, chop some celery and onions and dice them neatly. In a pan, saute the onions for a minute or two until they are somewhat translucent. Drizzle some white wine and let it reduce and be absorbed by the onions. Add in the celery and toss them thoroughly.

Once the celery start to soften, add in some chopped tomatoes and mix well. Pour in a cup of chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil and then, let it simmer. Add in some fresh heavy cream to thicken the mixture and lightly season with some pepper.

In another pan, pour in some olive oil and add in the chicken breasts. Cook it for about 3 to 4 minute on one side before flipping them over. Bast it with some butter and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and let it sit for 5 minutes or so.

Using the remaining juices and butter from the pan, saute the prawns until they are cooked. For added flavor, you can add in some finely chopped basil for the aromatic perfume.

To make the butter sauce, pour in some white wine to the remaining juices and add in some chicken stock and let it reduce by half. Add in some lemon rind and few drops of lemon juices. Add another knob of butter. Pour in some cream to thicken the mixture. 

To plate, pour in some of the celery hash first, then add in the chicken breasts (finely sliced after resting) and the shrimp. Pour the lemon butter sauce and garnish with some parsley.

Thus, my contribution to the election and polling day with this somewhat heavy dish and here's hoping that securing a better future for Singapore would mean not only a first world parliament, but also a first world future for us all.

Cheers!