Luca: March 2013

Fresh Tomato Soup

Recipe

Total Time: 20 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients

5 cups roma tomatoes, chopped

1 cup white onion, chopped

2 tbsp cilantro leaves

2 tbsp green onion, chopped

2 tsp garlic, minced

4 tbsp butter

2 bread slices, turn into pieces

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 bay leaves

1.5 cups chicken broth

1.5 cups whole milk

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Steps

1. Heat butter in a large and deep frying pan

2. Add onions, tomatoes and cook until onions soften

3. Add cilantro, green onion, garlic, bread pieces, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes

4. Thoroughly mix this cooked ingredients in a blender

5. Pour the liquid in a pot pan and cook over medium heat

6. Add chicken broth, milk and bay leaves, stir and cook for about 5-10 minutes

7. Add white wine, stir, remove bay leaves and serve

8. Garnish with Parmesan cheese

Serve with

Vegetarian Carrots and Herbs Risotto (Published March 23 2013)

Chicken Tarragon (Published March 23 2013)

Blue Cheese and Apple Salad (Published March 23 2013)

Blue Cheese and Apple Salad

Recipe

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients
12 Boston lettuce leaves
1 green apple
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Steps

1. Chop green apple and place in a bowl. Top with water and add lemon juice. Set aside
2. Place lettuce leaves on a serving plate
3. Place apple pieces on top of lettuce leaves
4. Spread blue cheese over apple pieces

5. Add olive oil and serve

Serve with

Fresh Tomato Soup (To be published March 23 2013)

Vegetarian Carrots and Herbs Risotto (Published March 23 2013)

Chicken Tarragon (Published March 23 2013)

Chicken Tarragon

Recipe

Total Time: 30 min

Servings: 6

Ingredients
12 boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp butter
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup white onion, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp packed tarragon leaves

Steps

1. Season breasts with salt and pepper. Set aside

2. Place flour on a flat plate. Set aside

3. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan

4. Press cutlets into the flour on both sides

5. Place each cutlet in the frying pan and saute over medium heat for about 8 minutes on each side
6. Remove cutlets from frying pan and set aside
7. Place onions in the same frying pan and cook until they soften
8. Place cutlets again, in the same frying pan over the cooked onions

9. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Onions should start to look brownish and should stick to the cutlets

10. Pour lemon juice and sprinkle tarragon leaves over chicken cutlets

11. Remove from pan, serve and garnish with few fresh tarragon leaves

Serve with

Fresh Tomato Soup (To be published March 23 2013)

Vegetarian Carrots and Herbs Risotto (Published March 23 2013)

Blue Cheese and Apple Salad (To be published March 23 2013)

Vegetarian Carrots and Herbs Risotto

Recipe

Total Time: 45 min

Servings: 8

Ingredients
2 cups arborio rice
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp dill, chopped
2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 cups veggie broth
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Steps

Onions

1. Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and set aside

2. Put oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften

Herbs

3. In the meantime, boil broth and 2 cups of water in a separate saucepan. Turn to low heat and keep warm

4. Place rice, salt and pepper in the Dutch oven. Stir for a couple of minutes

5. Begin adding broth and water mix to the rice, 1 cup at a time. When the liquid is almost evaporated, add one more cup and keep stirring. Do this for about 20-30 minutes, until the rice is tender. The final mixture should be neither soupy nor dry

6. Stir in carrots, dill, basil, butter and cheese

7. Thoroughly mix and serve

Serve with