Gourmet fare: Chicken with apricot sauce

Some people are more creative in the kitchen than I am. When our nephew, Mike Knadler, was stationed in Bahrain, he used to have weekly dinner parties that would begin a day in advance by throwing a dart at a world map to decide what kind of cuisine to cook. He tells me he's invented hundreds of recipes. He's adventurous. He loves mixing it up, and he knows what he's doing.

He sent me his recipe for chicken in apricot sauce, and I was very grateful, because like a lot of excellent cooks, he's not much for sharing his secrets. What's even better is he didn't object when I said I wanted to try it and then write about it here. I was a little worried that the gorgonzola might be a little overpowering, but it wasn't at all. Though decadent, this is an absolutely delicious and elegant dish. And it's easy to make, too.

Gorgonzola chicken with apricot sauce

2 whole boneless chicken breasts (butterflied are best)
10 strips of raw bacon
1 cup dry white wine
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese (Stilton is also good. Or if you prefer something milder, use mozzarella, swiss or provolone. Avoid any high oil cheese, such as cheddar.)
1 small jar apricot preserves (not sugar-free!)
4 dried apricots, sliced thin

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the chicken breasts and cut a small pocket into the flesh. Insert cheese into this pocket. Wrap each chicken breast in strips of bacon, covering completely, making sure you have an even layer of bacon and that chicken is not showing through. Place into a glass baking dish (Note from Tess: I lined baking dish with foil for easier clean-up.) Spoon a few tablespoons apricot preserve in a small bowl, stir, brush onto bacon. Place oven rack at second highest position. Cook for one hour. (Another note from Tess: I browned under the broiler for an additional five minutes.)

While chicken is baking, blend wine and remaining preserves in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer 10 minutes to create a medium-thick syrup. (Here's where Mike likes to get creative. He says you can throw in a few grains of ground chili pepper to spice up the sauce, or even a small slice of bittersweet chocolate to create a mole effect.)

To serve most artistically, cut each breast in half against the grain of the meat, cleanly cutting through bacon as well as chicken. Pour syrup on top and drizzle onto the plate. Top with slices of dried apricot. Mike recommends serving with steamed asparagus with lemon zest.