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.

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.

Roasted Napa Cabbage with Bacon and Blue Cheese

This quick and easy dish is a super flavorful light meal or a great accompaniment to a simple roast chicken. 

Ingredients:

1 large head napa cabbage

1/2 cup whole buttermilk (I used Cruze Farm buttermilk)

2 oz Sequatchie Cove Shakerag Blue Cheese

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 pound high quality bacon (I used Main St. Meats Belly Bacon)

Olive Oil

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

Method:

Serves 4 as a side, 2 as a meal.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bacon on a sheet pan and cook for 12-18 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan and place on paper towels to drain. Crumble or chop bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside.

Raise oven temp to 450 degrees.

Cut cabbage in quarters and rinse well under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Place the cabbage on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cabbage is soft and the outer leaves are slightly charred.

While the cabbage is roasting, make the blue cheese dressing. Place the buttermilk, blue cheese, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender. Pulse a few times until the mixture is largely smooth and only a few pieces of blue cheese remain visible.

Remove the cabbage from the oven, drizzle with the blue cheese dressing and top with the crumbled bacon. Serve warm.