Boeuf Bourguignonne

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Y'all

 Ingredients

• 3 lbs.  lean rump roast, chuck pot roast, sirloin tip, top round, or bottom round, cut into 2-in. cubes
• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
• 1 carrot, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped
• 4 slices, thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
• 3 tbs. canola oil, plus more if needed
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbs. brown rice flour
• 2 1/2 c. beef broth
• Bouquet garni (5 sprigs of thyme, 4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh, 10 black peppercorns, tied together in cheesecloth)
• 1 tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbs. EVOO
• 24 pearl onions, trimmed and peeled
• 8 oz. white button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large

Directions

1. To marinate the beef, place the cubes in a large nonreactive bowl.  Add the wine, carrot, celery, and onion.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Line both a baking sheet and a large plate with paper towels.  Remove the beef from the marinade and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Pat the meat dry with paper towels.  Strain the marinade, reserving seperately both the vegetables and the liquid.  
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  To cook the beef, heat a large, heavy duty Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan.  Decrease the heat to medium, add 2 tbs. canola oil and heat until shimmering. 
4. Season the beef with salt and pepper.  Sear the beef in 2 or 3 batches without crowding until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to the prepared baking sheet when done.  Add the reserved vegetables from the marinade and cook until they start to color, 5 to 7 minutes.  Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Return the beef to the Dutch oven.  Add the reserved marinade liquid and enough stock to barely cover the meat. 
5. Add the bouquet garni, tomato paste, and garlic to the pan.  Bring to a boil on high heat on the cooktop.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  Cook until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 
6. Meanwhile, to make the garnish, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbs. of canola oil and EVOO over medium heat.  Add the peeled onions, mushrooms, the remaining sprig of thyme, and the remaining bay leaf.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm. 
7. Remove the bouquet garni from the Dutch oven and discard.  Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to a bowl.  In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth.  Or, once the beef is removed, ladel the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time.  Cook the pureed suace over medium-high heat until the sauce coasts the back of a spoon; if needed, thin with more stock to achieve this consistency.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Return the beef to the sauce and turn to coat.  
8. Remove the sprig of thyme and the bay leaf from the mushrooms and onions in the skillet.  add the sauteed mushrooms, onions, and reserved bacon to the beef and sauce.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until warm and the flavors marry and blend, 5 to 7 minutes.  Taste and adjust fro seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately. 

 Serve Boeuf Bourguignonne over $20,000 Rice Pilaf

 Tuna & Hummus Sandwiches

recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa 

"How Easy Is That?"

 Tuna

 Ingredients

• 3 cans of white albacore tuna
• 2 tbs. EVOO
• 1/4 c. minced celery
• 2 tbs. minced Vidalia onion
• 2 tbs. minced dill pickles
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• 2 tbs. good mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 12 slices whole wheat bread
• Hummus, recipe follows

Directions

1. Drain the tuna.  Place the tuna in a mixing bowl and flake with a fork.  Add the celery, onion, pickles, lemon juice, mayonnaise, EVOO, mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.
2. Toast the bread and spread each slice with a layer of hummus.  Spread the tuna salad on each piece of bread, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve immediately.  Serves 6.

Hummus

Ingredients

• 2 c. canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved (15.5 oz. can)
• 1/3 c. tahini or sesame paste
• 4 tsp. minced garlic, 4 cloves
• 6 tbs. lemon juice
• 8 dashes Tabasco sauce
• 2 tsp. kosher salt

 Directions

1. Place the chickpeas, 2 tbs. of reserved liquid, the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until coarsely pureed.  The hummus should be moist and thick; add more lemon juice or reserved chickpea liquid to thin, if necessary.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours for the flavors to blend.  Taste for seasonings.

Tarragon Green Bean Tomato Salad

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, Y'all

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh green beans
• 1/2 lb. grape of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small Vidalia onion, minced
• 2 tbs. white wine
• 2 tbs. basalmic vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbs. fresh chives, finely chopped
• 2 tbs. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 4 tbs. EVOO

Directions

1. Fill a large saucepan with water and 1/2 tsp. kosher salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Add green beans and blanch for 5 minutes.  Drain beans and transfer to a bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes to stop the cooking process.  Set aside.  
2. In a large bowl, combine white wine, basalmic vinegar, mustard, herbs, remaining salt, and pepper.  Whisk in EVOO.  
3. Drain green beans from ice bath and toss together green beans, onion, and oil mixture.  Lastly add tomatoes and gently toss. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or serve immediately.   Serves 6.

Lemon Chicken Breasts

recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

"How Easy Is That?"

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. good olive oil
• 3 tbs. minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 c. dry white wine
• 1 tbs. grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 oz. each)
• 1 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Warm the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown.  Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 tsp. salt and pour into a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.
3. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce.  Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper.  Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned.  If the  chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes.  Cover the pan with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with pan juices.

Mustard Chicken Salad

recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa 

 How Easy Is That?

Ingredients

• 2 whole (4 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
• Good olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 cups good mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  
• 1/8 cup whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken in large bite-size pieces.
3. Meanwhile, add the broccoli florets to a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook for 1 minute, until crisp tender, drain, and place into a bowl of ice water until cool. This will stop the cooking and set the bright green color.
4. For the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, wine, mustards, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Add enough sauce to the warm chicken to moisten well. Add the tarragon, broccoli, and tomatoes and mix gently to combine. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.