As I promised last night, I’ll start posting and possibly publishing recipes for our wine tastings. Since next week’s wine is a French white from Provence, I turned to “The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence” by Georgeanne Brennan (Chronicle Books, 1997) for inspiration, but this chicken sounds so good I’m printing it exactly as it appears.

Menu: Chicken breasts stuffed with tapanade, smashed potatoes, green beans or salad

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Tapenade

4 chicken breast halves

2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. dried winter savory

1/2 tsp. salt

6 black peppercorns

6 to 8 tbsp. black olive tapenade (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Loosen the skin on each chicken breast to make a pocket for the stuffing by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat. Don’t detach or tear skin.

Combine spices in a grinder or mortar and pestle, then rub on chicken breasts. Using a small knife, spread tapenade between the skin and the flesh.

Cook the chicken on a baking sheet, skin side up, until juices run clear when a breast is pierced with a knife and the skin is golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serves 4.

JB note: You can use herbes de Provence in place of savory OR in place of the savory and the thyme. If doing the latter, use 2 tbsp. chopped parsley instead of thyme and add 1 tsp. herbes de Provence.

Easy Tapenade

20 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp. rinsed, drained, and chopped capers

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. anchovy paste (or to taste)

Fresh cracked black pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Source: about.com

Smashed Potatoes: Buy the tiniest new potatoes you can find and boil until tender. Drain and allow to cool until comfortable to the touch (or refrigerate overnight). Pour a generous slurp of olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, place potatoes on the sheet and smash each with the heel of your hand. Liberally season with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning mix, then pour more oil on each potato. Roast at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until skins are crisp and delicate. These are the best potatoes you’ll ever eat!

Make your own salad or cook green beans the way you like them. This is what we’ll be eating at my house on Thursday.