Jul 8, 2020

Lemon Thyme Grilled Chicken Salad


Yield: 6 Servings

12 oz Chopped Romaine
12 oz Chopped Iceberg lettuce
8 Tb. Crumbled Feta
15 ea. Blackberries
12 ea. Orange Segments
12 ea. Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half length-wise)
12 ea. Chives, Minced

OAT CRUMBLE
2 Tb. Oats
1 Tb. Almonds
1 Tb. Brown Sugar
1 Tb. Honey
Salt to Taste
1 Tb. Canola Oil

METHOD
Combine oats, almonds, brown sugar, honey, salt, and canola oil. Lay parchment paper or wax paper down on sheet tray. Spread out the mixture on tray and bake at 250° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool once done and break into small pieces.

CHICKEN
1 tsp. Lemon Pepper
1 tsp. Dried Thyme
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
6 Small Chicken Breasts
5 Tb. Olive Oil

METHOD
MARINADE
Mix the lemon pepper, dry thyme, and salt together. Season chicken with lemon pepper mixture on both sides. Grill mark or sear chicken.
IF GRILLING
Preheat grill on medium to high heat and right before putting the chicken on, spray with pan spray at a slight angle. When grilling, you are looking for those dark lines across the breast.
IF SEARING
Preheat your pan on medium-high heat. Once heated put 1 tsp of olive oil in the pan and let it sit for a few seconds. Lay the breast down away from you top or “presentation” side first. It should start sizzling pretty loud immediately. Let it cook on that side for 30 seconds. Flip the breast and repeat. Both sides should be golden brown. Cook in oven at 350° for roughly 20-25 minutes or until 165° internal temp. Once cooked, let it cool. When cooled down, brush with olive oil and slice diagonally into ½ inch pieces.
DRESSING
½ fl. Oz. Golden Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tb. Water
¼ tsp. Dijon Mustard
½ Tb. Honey
1 Tb. Sugar
1/3 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/3 c. Canola Oil

METHOD
IF USING A BLENDER
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds. It should become a semi-thicker consistency. If it’s too thin, add a little bit more oil and blend again on high. If it’s too thick, add a little bit of water and blend to thin it out.

IF MIXING BY HAND
Combine all ingredients except the oil. Give it a good mix. While whisking, slowly add the oil. This will take a while to get to the right consistency, so you must keep whisking the entire time to create a proper emulsion between oil and liquids in the dressing.

ORANGE SEGMENTS
Take oranges and cut off the top and bottom. Then cut off the rind without taking out chunks of the orange. After the rind has been removed, take a paring knife and slice between the membranes of the orange and the meat of the orange. Do that to every orange section and you should end up with orange wedges with just the meat of the orange.

SALAD ASSEMBLY
Lettuce, blackberry, orange, tomato, feta, oat crumble, sliced chicken, chives.
Pair with Golden or Dark Balsamic dressing or your favorite.

Jun 30, 2020

Pan-Seared Lemon Piccata Tilapia

5-6 Servings

5 ea. Fresh Tilapia Filets approx. 6-7 oz. each
3 Tbs. Olive oil
4 oz. Salted Butter
½ Cp. All-Purpose Flour
¼ Cp. White Wine (Non-Alcohol version)
3 ea. Lemons Juiced.
2 Tbs. Capers & Juice
2 Tbs. Minced Parsley
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp Pepper
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Season flour with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat sauté pan with olive oil and dredge tilapia filets in seasoned flour. Pan sear the tilapia filet in the olive oil, turning the filet over after about 2-3 minutes.  While the filet is searing, add lemon juice, capers & juice, white wine, and butter. Allow sauce to simmer while adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper. Finish sauce with remaining butter and freshly minced parsley. When fillets reach 145°, remove from sauté pan, plate the fish with sauce, and garnish with lemon slices and fresh parsley sprigs.

Jun 17, 2020

Strawberry-Rhubarb Gazpacho


Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed but kept whole
6 cups Strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 cup Rhubarb
1/4 cup Crème Fraiche
2 1/4 cups English Cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 1/4 cups Red Bell Pepper, diced
3/4 cup Green Bell Pepper, diced
6 tbsp Tomato Juice
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
Tabasco Sauce
3 sprigs Thyme
1/2 tsp Salt

Directions
Add the strawberries, cucumber, peppers, garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of olive oil, tomato juice, vinegar, rhubarb, and 1 1/2 tsp salt to the bowl. Toss to combine and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Marinate at room temperature for 3-6 hours. Puree the ingredients and their juices in small batches in a blender on high speed until very smooth. Strain through a chinois and chill in the refrigerator until very cold. Taste and season, if necessary, with Tabasco sauce and additional salt and red wine vinegar.

Serve chilled, garnished with diced strawberries, cucumbers, and shaved rhubarb. Tiny basil leaves, cilantro, crème fraiche, and a swirl of olive oil make a nice additional garnish.