Seared Free-Range Chicken & Chunky Avocado & Couscous Salad

March 5, 2003 - Bernard Ibarr, executive chef of the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev.  

4 free-range chicken breasts
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of chopped yellow onions
2 ounces of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of chili pepper powder
Salt, to taste
Freshly crushed pepper, to taste

Procedure:
1. In a skillet, over high heat, place olive oil, seasoned chicken breast with salt, pepper and chili pepper powder.
2. Sear well on both sides. Reduce heat. Add onion. Cook for one minute, and then add garlic.
3. Cook for a few more minutes. Add cumin.
4. Set aside to cool. Cut chicken in dices. Mix and rub all ingredients together.

Couscous
8 ounces of couscous
2 ounces of chopped mixed, dried fruit
8 ounces of chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon of crushed cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Procedure:
1. In a saucepan, over high heat, bring chicken stock, cinnamon, crushed cumin seeds to a boil.
2. Add couscous. Let it sit for eight minutes.
3. Gently fold in dried fruits, olive oil, and then season to taste. Set aside.

Sauce
4 piquillo peppers
3 ounces of olive oil

Procedure:
1. In a blender, place the seeded, grilled peppers.
2. Once pur–ed, add olive oil. Keep aside.

Avocado Mash
2 peeled and pitted avocados (cut into 3/8 inches cubes)
2 seeded and diced tomatoes
4 basil leaves
1 chopped garlic clove
4 sprigs of chopped cilantro
1/4 ounces of lemon juice
1/2 ounces of orange juice
1/2 tablespoon of diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 tablespoon of diced green bell pepper
Salt with olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly crushed pepper, to taste

Procedure:
1. In a bowl mix all ingredients. Set aside.

Garnish
4 fried basil leaves
Saffron oil
Crushed black pepper

Procedure:
1. Place pastry rings on four serving plates. Spoon couscous at the bottom of the ring, then the avocado mash, and finally, the chicken mixture. Pull rings off.

2. Drizzle piquillo pepper sauce around the chicken salad. Decorate with four fried basil leaves, crushed pepper and saffron oil.