CANNELLONI OR MANICOTTI WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl combine chicken cubes, onion, thyme and vermouth.
• Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, in a large saucepan with 2 cups of water, add kale and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Drain and cover kale with cold water; set aside.
• Strain the marinade into a large frying pan or skillet; set aside the chicken and onions.
• Add chicken broth to the frying pan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken/onion to frying pan and poach until the chicken is no longer pink at the center, about 4 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken cubes to a food processor, reserving the poaching liquid.
• Process the chicken in short bursts until the cubes are finely chopped.
• Drain kale well, chop and add to the food processor.
• Add ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, black pepper and nutmeg and process to blend; set aside.
• To prepare the sauce, melt butter in a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat.
• Gradually whisk in flour to make a paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, DO NOT BURN or let it go lumpy.
• Whisk in reserved poaching liquid, bring to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes.
• Add milk and return the liquid to boil, whisking frequently.
• Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally while you prepare the cannelloni.
• In a large cooking pot or pasta cooking pot, fill 3/4 full with water and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add 1 tablespoon salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add cannelloni or manicotti tubes and cook for about 15 minutes or until al dente'.
• When done, transfer tubes to bowl of cold water.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Thoroughly drain cannelloni tubes and carefully fill them with the stuffing mixture using a small spoon.
• In a 9x9-inch oven-proof casserole dish, arrange stuffed cannelloni in a single layer.
• Ladle the sauce over the cannelloni.
• Sprinkle remaining 4 tablespoons of parmesan cheese over the top.
• Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil from the dish and place dish under the broiler, about 3 inches below and broil for about 5 minutes until the cannelloni is lightly browned.
• Serve immediately.
• You can delete the chicken if you do not want it. Also, you can use Spinach instead of Kale.
• You may use the sauce that I make for my UNCLE BILL'S CABBAGE ROLLS, recipe #35722.