Orange Chicken & Kabocha Squash Puree

This is a vibrant, and extremely flavorful dish, that is simple to cook and quickly prepared. Here's a realistic dish- if you're short on time but want to make something new and beautiful. After crisping the chicken skin it is important to keep it uncovered, and dry to keep it from becoming soft.

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Capons
2 blood oranges, thinly sliced
1 naval orange
1 tbsp orange zest
kosher salt
coarse black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh mint

Squash Puree
1 kabocha squash, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°. Rinse and pat dry chicken capons. sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron, or nonstick pan. Once oil is hot add capons, skin side down, letting chicken skin brown for 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan skin side up (to keep it from uncrisping). Line a large baking sheet. Add the oil from the pan, and squeeze juice of naval orange as well. lay out sliced blood oranges. Top oil and orange slices with capons, skin side up. Sprinkle with a mint, and orange zest. (you don't want to wet the skin of the chicken to keep it crisp) Bake on the middle rack of the oven, uncovered from 20-25 minutes. Once chicken is golden brown and crisp remove from oven.

In a large pot add squash and cover with water. bring to a rapid boil. Once squash is soft about 20 minutes, drain water from pot. Add coconut cream, kosher salt, pepper, and orange juice. Stir well.

Top puree with chicken, and orange slices. Spoon over sauce from pan.

Yields: 4 servings