Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon, and Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 large bunch green kale, ribs removed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced in 1/4-in dice

8 slices of high-quality thick-cut bacon

4 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Vinaigrette:

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 small shallot, finely minced

1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until soft and starting to crisp around the edges, about 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Reduce the heat to 350 and place bacon on a large baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven, and drain the bacon on paper towels. Break the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings for the dressing.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet. Once the whites start to set, sprinkle a few drops of water around the edges of the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the white is completely set and the yolk reaches your desired level of doneness.

Divide the kale evenly between 4 large bowls. Arrange the roasted butternut squash and bacon on top. Drizzle with maple bacon vinaigrette and top with one egg. Serve immediately.

Viniagrette:

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, or any other jar with an air-tight, secure lid. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are emulsified. Dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

8 large tomatoes

1 head garlic

2 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

        

Method:

Serves 6.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Core the tomatoes and slice them in half crosswise. Place on a parchment or foil lined sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cut the top off the head of garlic, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and place on the baking sheet.

Roast tomatoes for 25-35 minutes or until soft and brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes.

Place the roasted tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Unwrap the garlic and add to the tomatoes. You can easily remove the roasted garlic from its skin by pressing gently on the skins.  Pulse the tomatoes and garlic until almost smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Add the chicken broth, thyme, and balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately.

Burst Tomato and Herbed Ricotta Galette

Ingredients:

Serves 4.

Pastry Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

6 oz. butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 tsp. kosher salt

ice water

1 egg, well beaten, for egg wash

Filling:

2 pints mixed cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons mixed herbs, finely chopped (I used basil, thyme, and rosemary)

16 oz whole milk ricotta

olive oil

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

For the pastry dough:

Place the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour, making small butter flakes. Once the butter is evenly distributed throughout the flour, slowly add ice water, mixing with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. After at least 30 minutes, remove from the refrigerator and place on a well floured surface and roll the dough into a 12 inch round approximately 1/8-inch thick. Place the dough on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside.

For the filling:

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil. Add the tomatoes and cover with a lid. Heat over medium high heat, moving the pan gently every few minutes to toss the tomatoes around. After about 5 minutes the tomatoes will begin to make a "popping" sound. Carefully remove the lid after about 7 minutes. The majority of the tomato skins should be split. If they are not yet split, return the lid and allow them to continue to cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta, herbs, salt and pepper.

Spread the ricotta mixture over the pastry crust, leaving a 2 inch border around the edge. Spoon the tomatoes on top. Fold the border over the filling, pleating it to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush the crust with the egg wash.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Basil Mayo

Ingredients

Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices sourdough bread

1/2 pound high quality bacon (I used Main Street Meats belly bacon)

1 head butter lettuce

2 large green tomatoes, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup corn meal

3/4 cup buttermilk

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup basil mayo, recipe to follow

Safflower oil for frying

Basil Mayo:

2 egg yolks

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 cup grape seed oil

3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place the egg yolks, dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Very slowly, pour in the grape seed oil, whisking constantly. The mayo will thicken significantly, but will not be as thick as store bought mayo. Add the basil and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.

For the sandwiches:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bacon on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook 10-12 minutes or until bacon has reached your preferred crispness. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough safflower oil to cover the bottom of the pan with a depth of 1/4 inch. While the oil is heating, place the buttermilk in a small shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal and season with salt and pepper. Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk then in the flour and cornmeal mixture, coating all sides evenly. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove the tomato slices from the pan and place on paper towels. Season with a little more salt.

Toast the bread until it has started to get crisp but has not started to brown. Remove from the oven and assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with 1 1/2 tsp. of the basil mayo. Stack with several lettuce leaves, 2-3 tomato slices and 2-3 slices of bacon. Serve immediately.

Kale Salad with Peaches, Roasted Onions, and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

Salad:

1 bunch red Russian kale, washed, ribs removed, and torn into bite sized pieces

1 medium red onion, sliced in 1/4-inch slices

3-4 medium peaches, sliced

4 oz goat cheese

3 slices good quality bacon

Vinaigrette:

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Method

Serves 4 as a meal, 8 as a side

Salad:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Place bacon and onion on a large baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and the onions are starting to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven, and set aside the bacon for another use. Reserve the bacon drippings for the dressing.

Place the kale in a large serving bowl. Arrange the peaches, goat cheese, and roasted onions on top. Drizzle with maple bacon vinaigrette and serve.

Viniagrette:

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, or any other jar with an air-tight, secure lid. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are emulsified. Dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days. Makes about 3/4 cup.