Roast Chicken with Grapes and Olives

Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken parts (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts), with skin and bones
• Table salt (I used kosher)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or enough to coat your skillet)
• 1 cup seedless grapes
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the middle. Pat chicken dry, and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in two batches, brown the chicken, skin side down first and turning them over once, about 5 minutes per batch. Take your time here: the browner the chicken, the better the dinner will be.
2. Return the pieces to the pan, skin side up, and surround the pieces with grapes, olives, and shallots. Roast the chicken in the oven until it has just cooked through and juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken, grapes, and olives to a platter, then add wine and chicken broth to the pan juices in the skillet. Bring liquid to a boil, scraping up any brown bits, until it has reduced by half, for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain sauce, if desired, then pour it over the chicken. Garnish with rosemary, if you have it, and (quoting Deb): “see how long it takes guests to offer to slurp the sauce up with a spoon.”

Scallops with Potato Celery Root Puree

Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (4 leeks)
• 4 cups (1½ pounds) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
• 4 cups (2 pounds) celery root, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
• 3 cups heavy cream
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 24 to 26 large "dry" sea scallops
• 4 Tbsp. grapeseed oil, divided
• Basil-infused olive oil, for serving (optional)
• Minced fresh chives, for serving

Directions

Active time: 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Melt butter over medium heat in a large (8" to 10") saucepan or Dutch oven. Rinse leeks well in a colander, spin dry in a salad spinner, and add to pot. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add potatoes, celery root, cream, 4 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to very low, cover pot, and simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Be careful—don' let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan! In batches, pour mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Taste for seasonings, return to saucepan, and keep warm over very low heat. If mixture gets too thick, add a little more cream.

If it hasn't already been removed, peel off the tough strip of muscle on the side of each scallop. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat two 12" sauté pans over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil to each pan, and when oil is almost smoking hot, add half the scallops to each pan. (If you don't have two 12" sauté pans, cook scallops in batches and keep the first batch warm in a 250° oven until second batch is ready.) Cook undisturbed about 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms. Don't crowd scallops, or they'll steam rather than sear. Using a small metal spatula, turn scallops and cook on the other side 2 to 3 minutes more, until just barely cooked through. (If the pan is hot enough and you let the scallops cook undisturbed, they will not stick to the pan.)

To serve, spoon warm puree onto 6 plates. Place scallops on puree, drizzle with basil oil (if using), and sprinkle with chives.

Crispy Mustard Roasted Chicken

Ina Garten
 
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko (Japanese bread flakes)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon
½ cup dry white wine
1 (3½- to 4-pound) chicken, cut in eighths
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Place the garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced.
 
Add the panko, lemon zest, olive oil, and butter and pulse a few times to moisten the bread flakes.
 
Pour the mixture onto a large plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine.
 
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously all over with salt and pepper.
 
Dip each piece in the mustard mixture to coat on all sides, and then place skin-side down only into the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere.
 
Place the chicken on a sheet pan crumb-side up.
 
Press the remaining crumbs on the chicken pieces.
 
Bake the chicken for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crumbs are browned and the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Veal Chops with Carmelized Shallots

Ina Garten

15 whole shallots, trimmed with roots ends intact
24 whole garlic cloves (2 heads)
2 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup good sherry vinegar
1/2 cup ruby port wine
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 (10-14 oz) bone-in rib veal chops, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
3 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for grilling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add shallots and garlic for 15 seconds. Drain and peel them; blanching makes peeling easier. If any shallots are very large, cut them in half through the root so they stay intact.

3. In a large oven proof saute pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter, add shallots, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and saute for 2 minutes over med-high heat.

4. Place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing once, until the shallots and garlic are lightly browned.

5. Place the pan on the stove-top, add in remaining 2 tbsp of butter and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add in vinegar and port, bring to a boil, and simmer for 6 minutes until liquid is reduced. Add in brown sugar and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until syrupy.

6. Meanwhile, place the veal chops on a board and pat dry. Rub all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare charcoal fire or heat gas grill to medium heat (or you can use grill pan on stove-top) If you are using charcoal, make only one or two layers of coals.

Grill veal chops for 6-8 minutes per side, until nicely browned and cooked to internal temp. of 145 degrees F. Transfer to a serving platter, cover tightly with foil and let rest 10 mins. Reheat the shallots and garlic and spoon over veal chops, sprinkle with extra thyme and salt, serve hot.

Salmon and Melting Tomatoes

Ina Garten
 

Good olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
2 tsp (10 mL) minced garlic
2 cups (500 mL) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) good balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) julienned fresh basil leaves

2 lb (1 kg) salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
 
Heat 3 tbsp (50 mL) of the olive oil in a medium (10-inch/25-cm) saute pan.
 
Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned.
 
Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 tsp (5 mL) salt and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato sauce thickens slightly.
 
Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and basil.
 
Meanwhile, place a large (12-inch/30-cm) cast-iron pan over high heat for 5 minutes.
 
Brush the salmon all over with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and place it skin side up in the pan. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until browned.
 
Turn the salmon skin side down with a small metal spatula and transfer the pan to the oven for 8 minutes. (The salmon will not be completely cooked through.) Remove the fish to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
 
Reheat the tomatoes, season to taste, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature along with the salmon.

YUM

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

From Pinterest

Buckeye Bark
Source: Big Red Kitchen

2-1/2 lbs chocolate candy coating
1 (16.3 oz) jar creamy peanut butter
2 c Confectioners’ sugar
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Melt half of the chocolate candy coating according to the package directions, then spread over parchment paper or a silpat-lined cookie sheet. Spread to a large rectangle, but not too thin – approximately 1/8″ to 1/4″ thickness. Place in freezer to firm up.

In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, Confectioners’ sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Remove first chocolate layer from the freezer and spread the peanut butter mixture over the top. Return to the freezer and melt the remaining chocolate candy coating. Once that is melted, spread it over the top of the peanut butter layer and freeze until set.

Break up the bark into small pieces using a butcher knife. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.

Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

From Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, about 3 lb.
• salt and pepper
• 3tbl flour
• 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp saffron threads, crumbled and dissolved in broth
• 2tbl grated lemon zest
• 2 cups green or black olives
• 3tbl finely chopped fresh mint
• Cooked couscous or basmati rice for serving

Directions:

On a plate stir flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Turn the chicken pieces in the flour, shaking off excess.  In a large frying pan over med high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken pieces, turning often, until golden brown, about 10 min. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds.  Add the paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and coriander and sauté until the spices are fragrant and evenly coat the onion-garlic mixture, about 1 min. Add the broth-saffron mixture, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.

Stove top: Transfer the broth mix to a large Dutch oven. Add the chicken pieces, arranging the thighs on the bottom and the breasts on top. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 1.5 hours. About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, scatter the olives over the chicken and sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest.  

Transfer the chicken to warmed plates, garnish with mint and serve!

For slow cooker: Transfer broth mix to slow cooker. Add the chicken, thighs on bottom, breasts on top. Cover and cook until chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 2.5 - 3 hrs on the high heat setting or 5-6 hours on the low heat setting.  About 1 hr before the chicken is done, scatter the olives and sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest. 

Prosciutto Lamb Burgers

From Giada

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 6 large slices prosciutto, sliced medium-thin (for wrapping the burgers)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Fresh basil leaves, for topping each burger
• Fresh tomato slices, for topping each burger
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions

In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs, parsley, egg, milk, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper, Stir to combine. Add the lamb and stir until incorporated. Divide the mixture into 6 (1-inch) thick burgers. Place the slices of prosciutto on a cutting board or piece of parchment paper. Place 1 lamb burger in the center of each slice of prosciutto and wrap the prosciutto around the burger.

Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat for 2 minutes. Place the lamb burgers, prosciutto-covered side down in the pan and cook over medium heat until the prosciutto is golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the burgers and finish cooking, about 6 to 8 minutes more.

Remove the burgers from the pan and place on a serving platter or individual plates. Top each burger with 2 to 3 basil leaves, 1 to 2 slices of tomato, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Serve immediately.

Braised Garlic Chicken

From Williams Sonoma

1 chicken, 3 - 4 lbs cut into 8 serving pieces, trimmed of excess skin and fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons canola oil
4 heads garlic, separated into cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup dry white wine such as chardonnay or savignon blanc
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken and cook, turning frequently until well browned, 7 - 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

STOVE TOP: Transfer the chicken to a Dutch oven. Sprinkle with the thyme and add the garlic mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, about 45 minutes.

SLOW COOKER: Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker. Sprinkle with the thyme and add the garlic mixture. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout, 3 hours on the low-heat setting.

Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Set a fine-mesh over a saucepan and strain the pan juices. Press on the garlic cloves to extract as much liquid and pulp as possible. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter and top with the sauce. Serve at once.

Roast Pork with Apricots

From Williams Sonoma

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
• 1 boneless pork loin roast, about 2 1/2 lb.
• 2 Tbs. canola oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 cups dried apricots
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

Directions:

On a plate, stir together the flour, the 1/2 tsp. salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper. Turn the pork in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the pork and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat in the pan. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom.

Stovetop method: Transfer the pork to a Dutch oven and pour in the broth mixture. Add the apricots, orange juice and thyme. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the pork is very tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140°F, about 1 1/2 hours.

Slow-cooker method: Transfer the pork to a slow cooker and pour in the broth mixture. Add the apricots, orange juice and thyme. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 6 hours according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the pork is very tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140°F.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a bowl. Using a large, shallow spoon or a ladle, skim as much fat as possible from the surface of the cooking liquid. Strain the juices into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and concentrated, about 10 minutes. Stir the mustard into the sauce and add the apricots. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the pork loin across the grain into thin slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Serve immediately with the sauce and apricots. Serves 4 to 6.