Vegetable Tian

Over the weekend my family and I went into the city for dinner and a Broadway show. We went to see Newsies (my favorite movie of all time). The show was amazing! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a great show.

Following the show we ate dinner are Les Halles, Anthony Bourdain's restaurant, located at 411 Park Ave New York, NY 10016 (between 28th and 29th)  It is french bistro style cuisine and the food was really delicious. Here are a few of the plates we ordered:
Appetizers: 
-Brie with honey and cracked pepper toasted on croutons- This was unbelievable and I cannot wait to try and recreate this at home.
-Escargot in butter and garlic sauce
-French Onion Soup (a good as it gets)
Entrees: 
-Rosemary Lamb chops with Pomme Frites (french fries)
-Plache De Grillades: Lamb chop, hanger steak, merguez steak, thick cut bacon, and french fries (we did not order this, but if my husband Tom was with us, I bet he would have :)
Dessert:
Warm Chocolate Banana Tart
Blueberry Creme Brulee
Profiteroles

Over all the restaurant was a lot of fun with great food. I would recommend it. Take a look at the menu:
http://leshalles.net/brasserie/menus-wines

In keeping with the french theme and flavors, try this easy side dish. I love to make this to accompany any meat dish. It can even pair nicely with Italian style dishes, such as Chicken Parmesan.

*Cooking Tip: Try to use vegetables with same diameter so they look similar in the dish.

Vegetable Tian (Recipe from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten)
Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
Olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled (Yukon gold or red potatoes work best)
3/4 pound zucchini
1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush a 9 x 13" baking dish with olive oil.

2. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tbsp of olive oil.

4. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

The Best Potato Salad

The first time I made this potato salad was back in 2008. Tom and his brother Steven were working at my parents house and I decided to make them a big lunch for all the hard work they were doing in the yard. They loved this potato salad! I now make this salad for most barbecues and warm weather parties. Fresh herbs are the key to making this the best potato salad you will ever eat!

Cooking Tip: Make sure you do not over cook the potatoes. If they become too soft, they will not hold up well when you add the liquid ingredients.

The Best Potato Salad (Recipe from Barefoot Contessa)
Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

1 pound small yellow boiling potatoes
1 pound small red boiling potatoes
2 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp chicken stock
3 tbsp Champagne vinegar (White wine vinegar would work if you cannot find champagne)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 tbsp good olive oil
1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
2 tbsp minced fresh dill
2 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp julienned fresh basil leaves


1. In a large pot of salted boiling water; add in potatoes and cook for 20-30 minutes, until just cooked through. Drain the potatoes in a colander and place a kitchen towel over the potatoes for 10 minutes, to allow them to steam. When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half (or quarters if potatoes are larger) and place in a medium sized bowl.

2. Toss potatoes gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes for a few minutes.

3. Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add in the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

French Toast Souffle

Out of everything on the brunch table this Easter, this was the overall favorite. In my opinion, this is as good as french toast gets. It's very simple and easy to make. Assemble 1 day in advance and baked right before the guests arrive. It comes out of the oven light and fluffy in the middle and a little crisp on the top. Pour maple syrup over the warm french toast, there is nothing more comforting than that!! This will be a staple at all brunches at my house from now on.

A bonus, this recipe comes from cooking light. This recipe serves 12 larger servings for breakfast. If you are having a lot of other food you can easily turn this into 16-20 servings.

French Toast Souffle (Recipe from Cooking Light)
12 Servings (16-20 smaller servings)

Kale and Lentil Soup

I made a big pot of this soup on Sunday and ate it for lunch the entire week. It is a very healthy and satisfying lunch. This soup is also very comforting and flavorful and does not taste like "health" food at all.

 Lentils are high in soluble fiber. One cup cooked provides 16 grams. They are also a great source of protein, 18 grams per cup, cooked.

A recent study found that women who ate lentils or beans at least twice a week had a 25 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who ate them less than once a month. Lentils are also rich in folacin, a B vitamin proven to lower blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid linked with increased risk of heart disease and dementia. The fiber in lentils also helps keep you regular.  (Souce: Readers Digest: Magic Foods)

Kale and Lentil Soup
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 carrots-diced
1 celery stalk-diced
1 onion-diced
1/4 fennel bulb-diced
8 oz lentils
6-8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (you can use 4 cups brother and 2-4 cups water)
1 bunch kale-stems removed and leaves chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to garnish

1. In a large stock pot add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and bring to medium heat. Add in onion, carrot, celery and fennel. Cook until soft; 8-10 minutes. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.

2. Add in lentils and cook additional 1 minute. Add in 6 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered; 25-30 minutes. Add in more water if the soup get to thick.

3. Add in kale; cover and cook until wilted about 5-8 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Milanese

After indulging in sweet treats, decadent foods and jelly beans over Easter weekend, we are getting back on the health train. It will be a little easier now that all the great leftovers have been eaten. Here is a recipe I cook very often, a take on Chicken Milanese. To "lighten" this meal a little more, you can skip on breading the chicken cutlets. You can take it a step further and bake or grill the chicken, instead of pan-frying it, thats up to you.

Chicken Milanese
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 fennel bulb-sliced thin
1 yellow or red pepper-sliced
3 scallions-chopped into 1" long pieces (light green and dark green parts)
1-1 1/2 lbs thin sliced chicken cutlets (about 2-3 per person)
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (You can use unseasoned bread crumbs and season yourself)
1 egg-slightly beaten
Canola Oil
6-8 oz mixed greens
10 cherry tomatoes-halved
4 oz mozzarella cheese (regular or fresh)-diced into small cubes (not shredded)
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a parchment lined baking sheet, place sliced fennel, scallions and sliced peppers. Roast for 15 minutes until soft; stirring once half way through cooking time. Remove scallions before 15 minutes if they start to become to dark. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

2. Prepare the chicken cutlets by placing bread crumbs in a shallow dish (or on wax paper) and place beating egg with a little water in a shallow dish. Working with one chicken cutlet at a time, dip chicken into egg, then into bread crumbs. Continue until all the chicken is breaded.

3. Coat the bottom of a non-stick skillet with oil and bring to medium-high heat. Working in batches brown each chicken cutlet until crispy and cooked through; about 3-5 mins per side. (You can place chicken into a 250 degree oven to stay warm) Continue cooking all the chicken.

4. To make the salad: Toss mixed greens, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fennel, scallions and peppers with oil and vinegar (or your favorite dressing).

5. To serve: Place two chicken cutlets on a plate and top with salad.