October 29: Wingless Buffalo Chicken Rolls with Blue Cheese Dip

BUFFALO CHICKEN ROLLS
1 package (1 1/3 pounds) ground chicken breast
6 scallions, thinly sliced, then chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons of your favorite kind of hot sauce
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup crumbled domestic blue cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
12 fresh celery sticks, for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the ground chicken, scallions, garlic, and hot sauce and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a sealable plastic bag. To turn the sealable plastic bag into a homemade pastry bag, trim 1 1/2 inches off one of the bottom corners of the plastic bag. Push the chicken mixture to the cut corner without pushing it through the hole. Reserve while you prepare the phyllo.

Arrange 1 sheet of phyllo dough with the long side closest to you on your kitchen counter, brush liberally from edge to edge with the melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place another sheet of phyllo on top, again brush liberally with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the third sheet of phyllo.

Place the trimmed end of the pastry bag 1/2 inch in from the left side and 1/2 inch up from the bottom of the phyllo sheet. Squeeze half of the chicken mixture from the bag while moving along in a straight line from left to right.

Roll the front edge of the phyllo sheet away from you, encasing the chicken mixture. Continue until you have completed a long roll. Tuck the ends in and then brush the entire outside of the phyllo log with more melted butter. Transfer the first log to a rimmed cookie sheet, putting the seam side down. Repeat this process to make the second log with the remaining half of the chicken mixture. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the logs feel firm to the touch.

While the phyllo-wrapped chicken is in the oven, in a bowl combine the blue cheese and the sour cream. Smash the blue cheese with a fork to break it up, then stir to thoroughly combine with the sour cream.

Once the buffalo chicken rolls are cooked, remove from the oven and let them cool just enough to handle. Cut each roll in half, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Serve the blue cheese dip alongside the wingless buffalo chicken rolls and some celery sticks.

4 SERVINGS

I really liked these chicken rolls. They aren't really hot, and they could use a little more buffalo flavor, but I really like the flavor and especially the blue cheese dipping sauce. And the celery really makes the meal.