Items
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olive oil
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Romaine Salad with Spiced Pecans Romaine Salad with Spiced Pecans ½ cup balsamic vinegar 2 garlic cloves, mashed 1 cup olive oil ¼ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon thyme Salt and pepper to taste 3 heads romaine lettuce, torn into pieces 6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled Spiced Pecans (below) For the dressing, combine the vinegar and garlic in a bowl and mix well. Add the olive oil gradually, whisking constantly. Season with cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss the lettuce with the cheese and dressing in a large bowl. Divide among 6 plates. Top with Spiced Pecans. Yield: 6 Servings Spiced Pecans 2 teaspoons butter 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon water ⅔ cup pecan halves Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and water. Cook until the mixture bubbles. Add the pecans. Cook for 5 minutes or until the sugar begins to caramelize, stirring until the pecans are coated. These pecans can be prepared 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Yield: ⅔ cup -
Chicken Parmesan Pollo Parmigiana (Breaded Chicken Breast with Parmesan) Serves 4 1 egg ¼ cup milk ¼ cup flour 3 cups Panko bread crumbs 1 Tbs. minced garlic ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 Tbs. fresh basil, chopped 1 Tbs. fresh oregano, chopped ¼ cup chopped parsley 4 5 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast Coarse salt and ground black pepper Cooking and assembling the chicken ⅓ cup olive oil 2 cups Tomato Basil Sauce (see below) ½ lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente 4 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly slices 2 Tbs. Parmesan cheese, grated 4 fresh basil leaves, as garnish Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine the bread crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, basil, oregano, and parsley, and mix well. Set aside. In a separate bowl beat the egg with the milk. Set aside. In another bowl add the flour and set aside. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Dust the chicken breast lightly in flour, then dip in egg wash. Coat the chicken breast on both sides with breading and press lightly with hand to adhere. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute on each side for approximately 3 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove the chicken from the heat and place on a baking sheet. Top with mozzarella slices and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 2 minutes or until cheese melts. In a large sauce pan, heat the Tomato Basil Sauce along with spaghetti. Transfer the spaghetti with tongs to individual plates and top each with a chicken breast. Sugo Di Pomodore (Tomato Basil Sauce) Makes 2 Quarts 3 24-oz. Cans chopped tomatoes, preferably Hunts ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 6 medium size garlic cloves ⅓ cup tomato puree 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, coarsely chopped 1 ½ Tbs. coarse salt 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbs. honey or pinch of sugar (optional) In a food processor or blender, puree the olive oil and garlic. Pour the mixture into a medium size sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in honey and fresh basil. Makes about 10 cups.