White Bean and Escarole Soup

White Bean and Escarole Soup
Chef Scott Conant of L'Impero – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 6 to 8 Servings
Ingredients:

     1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
     1 onion cut into large pieces
     3 whole cloves garlic
     1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
     2 sprigs fresh rosemary
     2 sprigs fresh sage
     6 ounces pancetta, left in big pieces
     2 cups dried white beans, such as cannellini or cranberry beans, rinsed, soaked in water for 24 hours, and drained
     3 quarts homemade or low-sodium purchased chicken broth
     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
     1 head escarole, shredded (about 3 cups)

Method:
In a large soup pot, heat half of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, rosemary, sage, and pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Add the drained beans and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook until the beans are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the herbs, pancetta, and onion pieces, as well as about half of the beans, to a rimmed baking sheet. Pick out some of the pancetta and chop it for a garnish. Discard all but the beans. Puree the removed beans with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper; return puree to the pot. Add the shredded escarole and cook until wilted. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve soup in warm bowls with reserved chopped pancetta and an additional drizzle of olive oil.

Wine Pairing:
A full, spicy Tuscan white such as the Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso Vermentino 2002


   

Portuguese Chicken Curry

Portuguese Chicken Curry
Serves 4


By Wayne Johnson of Andaluca - Seattle, WA
Adapted by StarChefs

INGREDIENTS:

     ¼ cup canola oil
     1 medium yellow onion, cut to ¼-inch dice
     2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
     1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
     ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
     2 Tablespoons curry paste
     ½ teaspoon tumeric, ground
     ½ teaspoon coriander, ground
     1 teaspoon kosher salt
     3 medium yellow potatoes, cut to ¼-inch dice
     4 carrots, cut to ¼-inch dice
     2 cups tomato sauce
     1 cup chicken stock or broth
     1½ cups cream
     2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
     3 Tablespoons olive oil
     4 (6-ounce) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut to 1-inch dice
     Freshly ground black pepper
     4 cups basmati rice, cooked, kept hot


Bring canola oil to high heat in a large saucepan. Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, curry paste, tumeric, coriander and salt until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, tomato sauce, stock, cream and lemon juice. Let cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.

Bring large sauté pan with olive oil to high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken for 5-7 minutes, so the chunks are juicy but not bleeding. Add them to the saucepan with the curry. Simmer for 3 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly.

Scoop hot basmati rice into the centers of 4 wide bowls. Ladle chicken curry around the rice. Sprinkle with chives. Garnish with cilantro and lemon slices.

Wine Pairing:

A fruity German Riesling such as the Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spdtlese Artist Label 2003

Round Out the Meal:

With a salad of cucumbers, mint, crushed peanuts, and sesame oil

The Cranberry Celebration

The Cranberry Celebration

3 oz.
    cranberry juice
2 oz.
    orange juice
1/8 oz.
    lime cordial
      soda water
      frozen cranberries
       
Optional
     
1½ oz
    vodka
     

Directions
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine 3 oz cranberry juice, 2 oz orange juice and 1/8 oz lime cordial. Shake sharply and strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with soda water and sprinkle with frozen cranberries.

For an individual cocktail, add 1½ oz. of vodka.

Crispy Chicken Breast With Braised Cauliflower, Capers, and Roasted Almonds

Crispy Chicken Breast With Braised Cauliflower, Capers, and Roasted Almonds



By Michael Sichel

INGREDIENTS:

     1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
     4 tablespoons butter
     Salt and pepper
     2 tablespoons oil
     4 chicken breasts, skin on
     6 tablespoons capers
     6 tablespoons almonds, sliced and roasted
     1 lemon, juiced

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a casserole, place cauliflower, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper, and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and sear briefly, skin side down. Finish cooking in the oven, about 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan, pour off most of the grease, add the capers, almonds and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cook until butter has browned. Add the lemon juice.

To serve, place the cauliflower on each plate. Top with the chicken and drizzle caper butter.

Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Round Out the Meal:
With mashed potatoes.

Kid Friendly:
This is kid friendly!

Wine Pairing:
A Napa Valley Chardonnay.

Potato and green bean salad

Strikingly colourful and a classic combination of vegetables; served warm or cold, this dish is a perfect accompaniment to any meat or fish dish.

Serves 8

Preparation time less than 30 minutes
Cooking time 10-30 minutes

Ingredients
1.8kg/4lb new potatoes, scraped to clean
700g/1½ lb fine green beans
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
175ml/6fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
4 spring onions, chopped
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method
1. Place the potatoes into a pan of boiling well-salted water (one teaspoon salt per 600ml/1 pint water) and cook until just tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly, then cut lengthways into quarters and place into a salad bowl.
2. In a clean pan, cook the fine green beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and refresh under cold water, then drain again. Add to the potatoes and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add to the potatoes and beans, toss together while warm then leave to go cold.
4. Just before serving, mix in the chopped spring onions and chopped parsley.

Salmon en croûte with tarragon butter and wilted spinach

Not everyone has a yearning for turkey or goose at Christmas, but everyone wants to be served something delicious for that special meal. This hearty salmon feast looks spectacular when brought to the table and tastes fabulous.

Serves 8

Preparation time 1-2 hours
Cooking time 35-40 minutes

Ingredients
For the tarragon butter
100g/4oz unsalted butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ tsp salt
4 turns of the black pepper mill
2 tbsp lemon juice
For the salmon en croûte
2 x 550g/1lb 4oz pieces thick salmon fillet, skin removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g/1lb 2oz fresh spinach, large stalks removed, washed and dried well
2 x 500g/1lb 2oz packets ready-made puff pastry
plain flour, for dusting
1 free-range egg, beaten

Method
1. For the tarragon butter, beat the ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Trim the salmon fillets so that they're both the same size. Season each piece with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Heat one tablespoon of the tarragon butter in a large pan. Add a large handful of the spinach and, as soon as it starts to wilt, add more spinach, until it is all in the pan.
4. Cook for one minute over a high heat, then tip into a colander and press out all the excess liquid. Transfer to a board and coarsely chop. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and leave to cool.
5. For the salmon en croûte, cut a 350g/12oz piece from one block of pastry (save the rest for another dish) and roll out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 4cm/1½in bigger all round than the salmon fillets. Roll out all of the second block of pastry into a rectangle 5cm/2in larger than the first one.
6. Lay the smaller rectangle of pastry on to a well-greased baking sheet and spread half of the spinach mixture in the centre to form a rectangle the same size as the salmon. Put one of the salmon fillets on top, skinned-side down, and spread with the rest of the tarragon butter. Cover with the second fillet, skinned-side up this time, and cover with the rest of the spinach. Make sure that the spinach covers the salmon in an even layer.
7. Brush a wide band of beaten egg around the salmon and cover with the second piece of pastry, taking care not to stretch it or to trap in too much air. Tuck the pastry in well around the salmon, press the edges together to seal and trim away the excess to leave a 2.5cm/1in band all the way around. Using the tines of a fork, gently press together the edges of the pastry to seal. Chill in the fridge for one hour.
8. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
9. Brush the salmon parcel with beaten egg and chill for another five minutes, then remove and brush once more with egg - this will give it a nice deeply golden glaze.
10. Score the surface of the pastry into a tight diamond pattern with the tip of a small, sharp knife. Bake for 35-40 minutes.
11. Remove the salmon parcel from the oven and leave it to rest for five minutes. Cut it across into 2.5cm/1in slices to serve.

Recommended wines: top-quality white Burgundy or light New Zealand Pinot Noir

Grilled Cheese and Autumn Fruit With Blackberry Consomme

Grilled Cheese and Autumn Fruit With Blackberry Consomme
Lewis Butler

INGREDIENTS:
 2 Granny Smith apples, halved and core removed
    2 Anjou pears, halved and core removed
     4 Tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
     Pinch of cinnamon
     2 Tablespoons light olive oil
     4 pints blackberries (fresh or frozen)
     1 ½ cups water
     Juice of 1 lemon
     1 cup mascarpone cheese
     4 Tablespoons chopped mint



METHOD:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, toss the apples and pears with 4 Tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

In the top of a double boiler, combine the berries, water, 1 cup sugar, and lemon. Cover with plastic wrap and cook over a double boiler for about 30 minutes, or until the juice has been released form the berries. Chill. (The soup can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

To serve, place an apple and a pear into each soup bowl. Ladle about 1/4 cup consommé in to each bowl and top with cheese and mint.

Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 4 Servings

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Round Out the Meal:
With crisp baby spinach salad.

Kid Friendly:
This is kid friendly!

Wine Pairing:
A Riesling.