"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

Show 950

Rail Stop

6478 Main St.
The Plains, Va. 20198
(540) 253-5644

Thomas Kee - Chef and Owner

Fresh Arugula Salad with
Prosciutto, Roasted Shallots
& Shaved Parmesan
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
1)   Fresh Baby or Regular Arugula
2)   4 to 6 thin sliced of Good Quality Prosciutto
3)   2 Shallots - halved lengthwise and sliced
4)   A chunk of Parmesan Reggiano
5)   Olive Oil
6)   Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
7)   Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
1)   Put a saute pan over medium high heat and add some olive oil.
2)   When hot, add the shallots and saute until golden.
3)   Dump the shallots on a paper towel to drain and season lightly
       with salt and pepper.
4)   Place the arugula in a mixing bowl.
5)   Add lemon vinaigrette to lightly coat the arugula. Do not overdo...
       you can always add more later.
6)   Toss with tongs until evenly coated and portion on plates.
7)   Add your roasted shallots evenly amongst the salads.
8) You may either cut the prosciutto in pieces or tear lightly with
       your hands and arrange on salad.
9)   Finish by shaving a generous amount of parmesan over the salad
       and serve.

The Lemon Vinaigrette (makes 1 cup)
Ingredients:
1)   3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2)   1/4 cup fresh Lemon Juice
3)   1 tsp. Salt
4)   ½ tsp. ground Black Pepper

Preparation:
1)   Add olive oil and lemon juice to bowl and whisk.
2)   Add salt and pepper and whisk again.
3)   Shake well and taste to make sure you have a good balance.
4)   It should not be too tart or too salty. If not, adjust to taste.
5)   You can then pour into a medium size squeeze bottle and store
       in the refrigerator.
6)   Take out ahead of using to bring to room temperature and always
       shake well before using.
7)   When using, put greens in mixing bowl and squeeze enough
       vinaigrette to just coat salad and toss with tongs.
8)   Use tongs to plate your salad, garnish and serve.

Sauteed Chicken Breast with
Roasted Potatoes & Spinach
and an Oven Dried Tomato

Ingredients:
1)   4 Airline Chicken Breasts (bone out)
2)   Olive Oil
3)   Salt and Pepper to taste
4)   Diced Shallot
5)   Diced Tomato
6)   Dry White Wine or Dry Vermouth
7)   Chips of Butter
8)   Oven dried Tomatoes (see recipe below)
9)   Spinach and Roasted Potatoes (see recipe below)

Preparation:
1)   Preset oven to 450 degrees.
2)   Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
3)   Add a little oliver oil to a pan and add chicken breasts skin side down.
4)   Brown and then flip over and brown the other side.
5)   Place the pan in an oven to 5 to 7 minutes and then flip chicken and
       cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.
6)   Chicken should be firm to touch.
7)   Remove the chicken from the pan.
8)   Add diced shallot to pan and saute.
9)   As it starts to soften, add diced tomato and saute a bit until warm.
10) Hit pan with Dry White Wine or Dry Vermouth and reduce until still a
        little wet.
11) Start adding chips of butter in, a few at a time while whisking.
12) Butter should stay creamy and start to blend with wine. It should
       also stay hot, but not too hot or it will break.
13) Season lightly or to taste with salt and pepper.
14) You can now start your roasted potatoes and spinach.
15) Add chicken to plate or you could slice at an angle, a couple of
       slices and fan out.
16) Garnish with roasted potates and spinach.
17) Spoon out the sauce over the chicken.
18) Place the oven dried tomatoes on top and serve.

The Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1)   Ripe Plum or Roma Tomatoes
2)   Extra Virgin Olive oil
3)   Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1) Preheat oven to 275 degrees.2) Cut Tomatoes in half lengthwise.

3)   Place on sheet pan cut side up.
4)   Drizzle Olive Oil over top of tomatoes and season with Salt an Pepper.
5)   Place tray with tomatoes in center of oven and cook for 1 ½ hours.
6)   Cook until tomatoes are dry but not burned.
7)   You do not want much moisture left.
8)   When finished, store in a covered tin in the refrigerator.

The Spinach & Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients:
1)   Fresh Spinach
2)   2 Idaho Potatoes
3)   1 Cloves Garlic
4)   Olive Oil
5)   Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1)   Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Roast Potatoes for approx. 35 minutes until cooked but still a
       little firm at 375 degrees (best to let sit a day or several hours
       before slicing).
3)   Let potatoes cool to room temp and peel and halve, lengthwise.
4)   Slice potatoes a little thick.
5)   Heat pan over medium high heat and add olive oil.
6)   Add potato and sauté until starts to brown and crisp.
7)   Add spinach to pan and lightly toss until spinach starts to soften.
8)   Season and plate immediately.

Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon
Curd & Fresh Berries

The Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients:
1)   1 ¾ cups all purpose Flour
2)   1 ½ tsp. Baking Powder
3)   ½ tsp. Salt
4)   6 oz. unsalted Butter, softened
5)   1 2/3 cups Sugar
6)   Grated Peel of 2 Large Lemons
7)   4 Large Eggs
8)   ¾ Cup Sour Cream

Preparation:
1)   Preheat oven to 350
2)   Butter and Flour a 9 by 5 by 3 inch Loaf Pan
3)   Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt
4)   Using and electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and Lemon
       peel on medium high until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes
       with a stand mixer or 4 with a hand mixer
5)   Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
6)   On low speed, stir in the sour cream and then dry ingredients
7) Spread batter in prepared pan
8) Bake until a skewer inserted in middle comes out clean,
       about 60 minutes
9) Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes
10) Run a small knife along the edge to loosen it
11) Invert cake on to rake and remove pan
12) Let cool completely

The Lemon Curd
Ingredients:
1)   4.5 oz. Fresh Squeezed lemon Juice
2) 3/8 lb. Gran Sugar
3)   3/8 lb. Sweet Butter, cut into chips
4) 7 Large Egg Yolks

Preparation:
1)   Add Butter, Lemon Juice and Sugar to Sauce Pot and Heat.
2) As it starts to simmer, stir occasionally with wooden spoon
       until sugar has dissolved and it is smooth.
3) As liquid is heating, whip yolks until ribbon.
4) Slowly add mixture to yolks and temper.
5) Then add everything back to pot and simmer, while stirring
       until it thickens, approximately 5 minutes.
6) Pour into container to hold and cool.
7) Once cooled, you may cover and keep in the refrigerator.

The Fresh Berries (about 2 pints)
Ingredients:
1)   5-6 Medium, Ripe Strawberries, quartered or thick sliced
2)   ½ Pint Fresh Blueberries
3)   ½ Pint Fresh Raspberries
4)   ¼ to ½ cup Cranberry Juice
5)   ½ Fresh Squeezed lemon
6)   ¼ Cup Sugar

Preparation:
1) Add Berries to Bowl Coat with Lemon Juice.
2)   Add sugar and mix well with spoon.
3)   Add cranberry juice to suit and let sit out.
4)   The natural juices will eventually bleed into mix.
5)   After about a ½ hour, it should be ready to use.

The Whipping Cream
Ingredients:
1) 1-2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
2) Powdered Sugar to taste

Preparation:
1)   Add Cream and Sugar to mixing Bowl.
2)   You don’t want it too sweet if you are adding it as a
       garnish to something that is already sweet
3)   Whip until starting to ribbon.
4)   You want it whipped but still a touch loose.
5)   Dollup on the berries at finish.

Good Eating!!!