Category: Recipe

Char the peppers on all sides over an open flame on a gas stovetop or under a hot broiler (with the oven door cracked to avoid steam buildup in the oven). Put the charred peppers in a bowl, cover, and let them rest until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, and onions to the pot and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes, then put them into a food processor with the diced tomatoes. Seed and peel the peppers and add them to the processor. Puree the mixture until smooth, then pour it into soup pot and stir in the stock.

Heat a panini press or a large heavy skillet. Make sandwiches using 2 slices of cheese and 2 slices of ripe tomato on 4 of the bread slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and top with some torn basil. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread and add them to the panini press or hot skillet. If using a skillet, top with a second smaller pan and weight it down with heavy cans. Press the sandwiches to toast and melt the cheese, a few minutes on each side or 5 minutes in a hot press.

Serve the soup in bowls with the Panini alongside.

Ingredients:

• 24 baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes (small russets work too – but they are usually too big)
• 2-3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp freshly chopped Thyme
• 4 oz. pancetta or applewood smoked bacon, cooked-crispy and crumbled
• 5 TBSP chives, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup creem fraiche or sour cream
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated
• Sea salt and pepper

Step 1:  Wash, dry potatoes and place on a large baking sheet.  Toss with olive oil to lightly coat potatoes.  Sprinkle with half of the fresh Thyme, sead salt and pepper.  Toss.  Bake potatoes until they are very tender when pierced with a skewer or tooth pick… approximately 20-25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool.

Step 2:  Make sure potatoes are cool enough to handle.  Cut the top 1/4 of the potato off. Discard tops.  Use a small spoon to gently hollow out the inside.  Scoop the potato flesh out and transfer it to a large bowl. Mash the potato flesh with a fork or masher.   Combine it with bacon or pancetta, chives and creme fraiche and the remaining Thyme.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Step 3:  Again, carefully using a small spoon, gently fill each hollowed potato with the filling.  Use your fingers to ensure it’s all the way inside and it should be slightly mounded at the top.  Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Step 4:  Make sure all potatoes are facing up on the baking sheet and return to the oven.  Bake an additional 8-10 minutes until filling is completely heated.  Sprinkle with the remaining chives.  Serve immediately while warm.

For the steak:

Ingredients

• 2 (10-ounce) filet mignon
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon fleur de sel
• 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, optional
• Roquefort Chive Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Roquefort chive sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 ounces French Roquefort cheese, crumbled (4 ounces with rind)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
• Pinch sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 1 (8-ounce) ball fresh buffalo mozzarella, water drained
• Freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked al dente

Directions

• 2 lbs chicken
• 1 jar of salsa
• 1 can of black beans
• 1/2 cup frozen corn (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

Place the cooked egg yolks in a bowl. Using a fork, work the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, chives, and salt and pepper into the yolks to form a smooth paste. Taste. Place 1/2 of this mixture in a smallpastry bag with a large star tip. To the remaining mixture, add the jalapenos and season with Hot pepper sauce. Fill 6 of the egg halves with the basic filling. Fill the pastry bag with the jalapeno filling. Fill the remaining egg white halves. Top with paprika. Place on a platter on the radicchio leaves, and parsley sprigs.

Position an oven rack about 8 to 10 inches from the broiler and preheat. Grate the lemon zest and combine in a small bowl with the butter, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Mash with a fork to make a smooth paste.

With your fingers, gently loosen the skin on the chicken breasts, legs and thighs. Spread the flavored butter under the skin as evenly as possible. Halve the lemons and squeeze 2 halves over the chicken; season with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken skin-side up on a broiler pan (or a rack on a baking sheet). Position the halves about 2 inches apart with the thick parts of the legs facing the center. Arrange the remaining 2 lemon halves cut-side down next to the chicken.

Broil the chicken until the skin is light brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. If the chicken browns too quickly, lower the oven rack. Flip the chicken and the lemons and continue to broil until almost cooked through (a thermometer inserted into the thickest part will register 160 degrees), about 15 minutes. Remove the lemons, if browned; turn the chicken again and broil until the skin is brown and crisp and the thermometer registers 165 degrees, about 2 more minutes. Serve the chicken with the broiled lemons for squeezing on top.

Directions