Midnight in Paris

Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc and Pesto Pea

Parisian Chicken

Pomme Frites with Truffle Aioli

Chocolate Souffles

Seared Scallops with Beurre Blanc and Pesto Pea

Serves 4

Ingredients

Beurre Blanc

1 shallot, minced

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup white wine

4 Tablespoon heavy cream

1 cup butter, cut into cubes

Salt and pepper

Pesto pea

1 bag frozen peas

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tablespoons pesto

2 Tablespoon Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Seared Scallops

Scallops

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1. To make the Beurre blanc, add the shallots, vinegar and wine to a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until it is reduced by more than half. Add the cream. Add the butter chunks to the pan all at once. Turn the heat to high and whisk while moving the pan until it has completely melted. Season with salt and pepper.
2. To make the pea puree, boil 2 cups of water and garlic clove. Cook the peas until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove garlic cloves. Add to blender with pesto, and pepper. Pulse until you get consistency you like. Use a little of the cooking liquid to thin if necessary. Remove from blender and mix in Parmesan.
3. To sear scallops, pat scallops dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add butter and oil. Place scallops in the pan. Leave them alone for about 3 minutes on the first side and 1 ½ minute on the second side, they will form a light crust.
4. To plate, add pea puree to a plate. Top with scallops and pour over beurre blanc.

Parisian Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breast

2 Tablespoon whole milk

2 large eggs

¼ cup dry flour

6 Tablespoon unsalted butter

2 Tablespoon of olive oil

¼ cup dry vermouth

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions

1. Lay the breasts down on a cutting board and use a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board to cut them (carefully) almost all the way in half, leaving about ½ inch attached. Open breasts like a book and cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound them with a meat mallet or heavy skillet to uniform, 1/4 –inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk the milk and the eggs, and spread the flour on a plate. Heat 2 Tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a skillet until foam subsides. Dredge the chicken breast in flour, shaking off the excess, then dip them in the egg and transfer to the skillet. Cook until golden, 2-3 minutes per side, in batches as necessary (add extra butter as needed).
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate tented with foil. Then add the vermouth and lemon juice to the sauté pan. Increase the heat and scrape up any brown bits, then season to taste. Reduce for a minute or so (about half) then whisk in remaining butter in pieces. Add parsley. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over it

Pomme Frites with Truffle Ailoi

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for frying2 large russet potatoes (about 1 ½  pounds) cleaned

Truffle Aioli

½ cup mayonnaise

½ crème fraiche or sour cream

 1 Tablespoon of white truffle oil

1 large clove, diced

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh rosemary

Mix all truffle Aioli ingredients together except herbs. Cover place in refrigerator.

1 Tablespoon white truffle oil, for drizzling

Directions:

1. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed pot 350 degrees F.
2. Carefully cut the potatoes into shoestring using a mandolin fitted with the narrowest julienne blade (about 1/8 inch wide). Rinse the cut potatoes thoroughly in a bowl of cold water to remove the surface starch. Keep to potatoes in bowl of cold water until ready to use.
3. Transfer the potatoes to a paper towel lined sheet pan and pat them dry, as dry as possible.
4. Fry the potatoes in batches until they are crisp and turn golden. 2-3 minutes per batch. As each batch of fries comes out, transfer to a large mixing bowl and toss with chopped herbs, drizzle with truffle oil and salt and pepper to taste serve with truffle aioli.

Chocolate Souffle

  Souffle batter can be made up to 12 hours in advance, portioned and held in a cooler until needed. The soufflé will begin to fall the moment it leaves the oven so be sure to have powdered sugar and under liner plate ready to go.

yeild: 8 servings

Unsalted butter for greasing ramekins, softened

6 large egg yolks

8 large egg whites

16 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup granulated sugar plus more for ramekins

Prepare double boiler

Prepare ramekins with softened butter and sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  To a medium mixing bowl, add chocolate, vanilla, and sugar. Melt chocolate and stir to incorporate other ingredients. When chocolate is melted but not hot (110-115 degrees), remove from double fold in egg yolks. Set aside.

  In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip egg whites at high speed until they begin to froth. Add cream of tartar and gradually add sugar as meringue whips creating a bright white, glossy sheen. When meringue reaches stiff peaks, turn off mixer and remove bowl.

  Working with 1/3 at a time, gently fold meringue into chocolate mixture. When first third is fully incorporated, add half of remaining whites and fold. Repeat with remaining meringue and fold until completely incorporated but do not overmix or batter will deflate.

  Spoon batter into ramekins filling them ¾ of the way to the top. Use a clean towel to wipe excess butter from ramekin above batter line. Arrange ramekins on rimmed baking sheet and transfer to oven for 15-20 minutes. Close oven door carefully so not to disturb soufflés as this will cause them to fall. When soufflés are finished baking, remove from oven, quickly dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.