Broiled Striped Cavern Tomatoes with Ricotta Salata and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

June 30, 2010 / Ren

Striped cavern tomatoes are briefly broiled, then drizzled with a white balsamic vinaigrette and topped with ricotta salata, fresh basil and fennel pollen. Garlic butter-fried croûtons on the side..

2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
3-4 oz tablespoons best quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fennel pollen
1 teaspoon fresh green basil
1/2 teaspoon fresh purple basil
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
pinch of sea salt & a twist of freshly-ground black pepper
1 scallion, slivered

1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 thick slice bread, crusted and cubed

2 fresh striped cavern tomatoes
fresh basil leaves for garnish

2 oz ricotta salata (a pressed, salted and dried variety of sheep’s milk cheese), cut or torn into small pieces

Core and split the tomatoes across the equator. Place in a heat-proof pan and broil until they turn brilliant red, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Combine the vinegar, fennel pollen, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Whisk in the olive in a slow, steady stream until completely incorporated. Stir in scallions, basil and oregano and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the bread cubes and cook until golden brown on all sides. Remove to a dish to drain.

To assemble, arrange two tomato halves on a chilled salad plate. Scatter ricotta and croûtons around the tomatoes and drizzle liberally with vinaigrette. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Green Garlic-Fried Croutons

February 8, 2010 / Ren

Fresh tomatoes are roasted then simmered in vegetable stock with sweet peppers and fresh basil, then topped with green garlic-fried croûtons, Asiago cheese and a drizzle of fruity, raw olive oil.

Roasting intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes, roasted yellow pepper adds sweetness and the fried green garlic adds a mellow bite. Plenty of black pepper, fresh basil, olive oil and sharp cheese tie it all together..

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Green Garlic-Fried Croûtons, Asiago & Raw Olive Oil

3 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, divided
1 1/2 cups strong, homemade vegetable stock
1/2 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, blistered
3-4 bulbs green garlic plus a little of the green tops, slivered
handful fresh basil leaves, chiffonade-cut, divided
good quality raw olive oil
day-old sprouted wheat bread, cubed
1 tablespoon pastured butter
Asiago or Parmesan cheese, grated
coarse sea salt & freshly-ground black pepper

Wash and core tomatoes. Cut a small x at the pointed end of half of the tomatoes and plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds. Allow to cool enough to handle, then slip the skins off, dice the tomatoes and add to a heavy pot along with the vegetable stock. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until reduced and darkened, about 30-40 minutes.

Broil the other half of the tomatoes with the bell pepper until blistered and somewhat blackened. Place on a plate, cover with an inverted bowl and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, slip most of the skin from the tomatoes, chop and add to the soup pot. Peel and dice the peppers and add to the along with 3/4 of the basil.

Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and green garlic and fry until the croûtons are golden brown. Sprinkle the croûtons with the grated cheese while still hot, then scoop the green garlic into the soup. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with warm croûtons and reserved fresh basil.

Rustic Roast Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Sausage

October 29, 2009 / Ren

Pastured chicken, sweet peppers, sausage, fresh herbs and garlicky croûtons. One of my personal favorites..

Rustic Roast Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Sausage

For the Bone Broth (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

5 pounds chicken parts such as necks, bones, backs, wings and feet
1 gallon cold, filtered water
1 3/4 cups carrots cut into 1-inch cubes
2 heaping cups leeks cut into 1-inch pieces (white and light green parts only)
1 1/2 cups Spanish onions cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf

Keller writes “As with all stocks, the goal is to remove impurities while extracting as much flavor and gelatin as possible from the bones, and the maximum flavor from the vegetables and aromatics. You do this not only through gentle heat, but through gradual heat transitions as well; in other words, you don’t start with hot water, you begin with cold and bring it slowly up to heat”.

Rinse the chicken parts thoroughly under cold water to remove any remaining blood. This helps to ensure that the resulting stock is clear, not cloudy.

Put all the bones into a large stock pot and add a gallon of cold water, just enough to cover the bones. Slowly bring the liquid to a simmer and begin to skim as soon as the impurities rise to the top. Continue to simmer and skim until as much of the impurities have been removed as possible.

Add the vegetables and bay leaf and continue to simmer and skim for 45 minutes. This recipes produces a lightly-flavored, gelatinous stock suitable for soups and braising. For a stronger stock, simply continue to simmer and skim until the liquid has been reduced by 1/3 in volume.

Turn off the heat and let the stock rest 10 minutes to allow any particles left in the stock to settle to the bottom.

Ladle the finished stock through a strainer lined with a tea towel into a suitably large container, then transfer into quart jars set in a pan of ice water. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to keep for up to 3 days.

For the Vegetables

Split a number of sweet peppers, Spanish onion and plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side down in a skillet or on a parchment paper-lined tray. Roast in a 375 degree oven until blistered but not blackened, about 30 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool enough to handle, then pull the skins off the peppers and tomatoes.

Coarsely chop the vegetables with fresh basil and oregano and set aside.

For the Chicken

Split large breasts and thighs into 2-3 pieces each and season lightly with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper. Melt a couple of tablespoonfuls of chicken fat in a heavy skillet. Add the chicken as soon as the fat is shimmering but not smoking, and brown well on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Cut 1-2 pieces of Italian sausage on a deep bias so that there is a lot of exposed surface area. Brown the sausage in the same pan that you used for the chicken.

Arrange chicken and sausage in a Dutch oven containing 1 cup of bone broth as shown below. Scatter roasted vegetables over the top, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place uncovered in a 375 oven until the chicken has finished cooking, about 15 minutes.

For the Croûtons

Steep a clove of garlic in pastured butter for a few minutes, then toss in roughly-torn pieces of bread and fry until golden brown. Add chopped parsley and give the croûtons one more toss before setting aside.

To assemble, arrange alternating pieces of chicken and sausage on a plate and top with vegetables. Tuck in some croûtons here and there, then drizzle all with some of the roasting juices. Garnish with additional chopped herbs and serve immediately.