Chicken Puff Pastry Caprese

by Jaelyn Penner


Puff Pastry is one of my absolute favorite foods.  The buttery flakiness is addicting... and versatile!  You can make it into a sweet breakfast pastry, fill it with sandwich fixins' for lunch, wrap around a wheel of brie for an amazing appetizer or create multiple puff-pastry-based dishes for a decadent dinner.  Or, as I've done here, you can fix up a simple, delicious and easy dish that your entire family will love!

I've used some simple ingredients in this dish, several of which are a staple in my home.  Fresh basil is easy to grow and great to have on hand.  Pesto is easy to make and freezes well, and is a great way to use all that basil that you grew and didn't have time to eat!  Balsamic vinegar is a wonderful pantry staple - it's perfect to use with olive oil as a fast homemade salad dressing, or to reduce as in this recipe for a sweeter and more complex flavor.

This recipe is based on the traditional Insalata Caprese in Italian cuisine - which literally means "Salad of Capri" or "Salad in the style of Capri."  It revolves around three simple ingredients - fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato.  I've taken that side dish and made it the star of the meal.  I hope you love this as much as my family and I do!
 

Chicken Puff Pastry Caprese

• 2 sheets puff pastry (store bought - found in the freezer section, generally near the pie crusts)
• 3-4 Tbsp fresh pecan pesto (see recipe below - or in a pinch, you can purchase pre-made)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and pulled apart with a fork
• 9 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut in 1/4" slices
• 3 med. Roma tomatoes
• 1-2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• Balsamic reduction (see recipe below)

1.  Thaw puff pastry according to directions on package.  Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut tomatoes in 1/4" slices.  Salt each side and set aside.  This will draw out extra moisture for better baking.  Pat mozzarella slices with a clean towel to remove extra moisture, lightly salt and set aside.

3.  Remove pastry sheets from the fridge.  Using a rolling pin, roll each sheet to appr. 12x16-inches.  

4.  To assemble:  Place one sheet of puff pastry on parchment-lined flat sheet pan.  Spread 3-4 Tbsp. pesto on the pastry sheet, leaving a 1-inch border.  Stagger mozzarella slices, leaving at least 1/2-inch between slices (see pic).  Add chicken evenly across the top of the cheese and pesto.  Carefully place the 2nd sheet of puff pastry on top.  Score the top sheet appr. 1-inch from border, then press the edges of the two sheets together with a fork.  This will create a nice fluffy perimeter crust.  Poke several vent holes in the top of the pastry with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape while cooking.

Pat dry your tomato slices.  Using the scoring as your new border, stagger the slices on top of the pastry, covering the entire region within the scoring.  Dust with grated parmesan and freshly ground pepper.  Place in oven for 30-40 minutes, or until top of pastry and crusts are golden brown and tomatoes are nicely roasted.

While baking, prepare the Balsamic reduction according to the recipe below.

Cut into 9 pieces and drizzle 1 tsp. of Balsamic reduction over top of each.  Serve with a side of fresh greens. Enjoy!

Pecan Pesto

• 3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cup whole pecans, toasted
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt

In a food processor, add basil, pecans and garlic.  As the ingredients chop, slowly drizzle olive oil through the feed tube just until a smooth paste is created.  Add the parmesan and blend for 20-30 seconds more, until well combined.  Refrigerate unused pesto, and use or freeze within 5 days.

Balsamic Reduction

• 2 c Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• pinch of freshly ground pepper (I prefer white pepper, but you can use whichever type is your favorite)

In small saucepan, heat the vinegar on med heat.  When warm but not boiling, add honey and stir to incorporate.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer on med-low until reduced in volume by half.   Add pepper and stir, allow to reduce an additional 10%.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Manly Man’s Smoked Salmon

 
 
by Kristen Barchers

To many, smoked salmon brings to mind the UK’s traditional layers of thinly sliced lox atop a bagel and shmear. I like to think of this very different style of salmon as the ‘manly man’s’ smoked salmon. The recipe for the brine was perfected by my dad, the master of ‘manly food.’ Many a professed salmon hater has been converted after a taste. For those who already love salmon, you’re in for a treat. The smoky, slightly sweet flavor and hearty texture will make this dish ideal for any occasion. While I often use this brine on salmon, it works well for foods like beef jerky and tempeh as well.

A note on choosing salmon:

With all of the warnings about mercury, PCBs (carcinogenic chemicals found in some predatory fish) and irresponsible farming, knowing which fish to eat can seem like a daunting task. The Monterey Bay Aquarium has developed Seafood Watch, an informative guide to purchasing all types of seafood. Good quality salmon, such as wild Alaskan, is typically more expensive than farmed Atlantic salmon, however the benefit to your health and the environment are well worth it. One money saving alternative is purchasing frozen or previously frozen salmon instead of fresh. Due to the nature of this recipe and the great amount of flavor the brine adds, it is not necessary to purchase fresh salmon.

Manly Man's Smoked Salmon

1 large or two small salmon filets (approximately 2 lbs)

Brine Ingredients:

1/3 c. sugar
¼ c. non-iodized salt
2 c. soy sauce
1 c. dry white wine
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp orange zest
2 tsp grated ginger

Method:

1. Mix all brine ingredients in a large bowl and stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Place salmon filet in a large, sealable plastic baggie and pour in brine. If needed, add water until salmon is fully submerged in liquid. Place the bag in a large bowl or container that will catch any spills in case your bag breaks.
3. Refrigerate salmon for 24 to 48 hours. The longer the salmon is in the brine, the saltier and more strongly flavored it will be.
4. For the prettiest filet, remove salmon from brine, pat dry and let air dry under a fan for 1-2 hours. This will create a smooth sheen on the surface of the salmon once it is smoked and dried. If you chose to skip this step, simply pat salmon dry and proceed to step 5.
5. Place the salmon in your smoker and smoke/dry according to your smoker’s instructions. This typically takes 10-12 hours for large filets. When the salmon is done is partially determined by preference. I prefer my salmon very dried out and flaky, however it is completely safe and delicious to eat while still slightly moist inside. Once the salmon is brined or cured, bacterial growth is inhibited. The drying process helps to preserve the salmon, but it is the curing that makes the salmon safe to eat.

Note: I use a Smokehouse Little Chief smoker for all of my fish smoking needs. This type of smoker is designed for a cooler smoke/drying (<140°) as opposed to other smokers on the market that are designed to simultaneously smoke and cook meats at much higher temperatures. For best results, make sure your smoker is designed to smoke and dry fish.

To serve:

This salmon is amazing alone, but pairs wonderfully with a simple dill sour cream. Simply stir a couple of tablespoons of finely chopped dill into a cup of sour cream. Top the cracker of your choice with a dollop of dip and a slice of salmon.

Pesto-Mascarpone Torte

by Kristen Barchers

I am a fool for pesto. On pasta. As a sandwich spread. Drizzled over grilled vegetables. I’m pretty sure I was Italian in a past life. I’ll happily eat any kind of pesto, though the classic basil version will always be my favorite. The combination of sweet, pungent basil with the nuttiness of Parmigiano-Reggiano has no equal.

This particular recipe brings to mind a very important day in my life – my wedding day.  I was married to my husband on a beautiful summer day in the mountains of Colorado. The setting was breathtaking, the love of my life was dressed to the nines and the food was to die for. Or so I hear….

The typical wedding excitement left me with only a vague recollection of dinner.  The whole ‘cake in the face’ thing meant that I didn’t actually get around to tasting dessert. But the real culinary tragedy of the day was the failure of our caterer to bring us any nourishment during our painfully long photo shoot. By the time the photographers were done with us, every presumably delicious morsel had been scarfed down by our guests, leaving none for the bride and groom.

I had been looking forward to the appetizers most of all, and particularly this pesto-mascarpone torte.  

This spread pairs the intense aroma and flavor of a classic pesto with the smooth and rich palate of mascarpone cheese. The combination is bliss. Serve with crackers and crudités and prepare for your loved ones to duke it out for a taste. 

In honor of starving brides and grooms everywhere – enjoy this dish!

Pesto-Mascarpone Torte

Ingredients:

1 8oz. package of mascarpone cheese* (room temperature)

6 oz. basil pesto (homemade or store bought)

¼ c chopped pistachios

*Mascarpone cheese is a soft Italian cheese similar in texture to cream cheese but without the tang.  For a frugal alternative, cream cheese, while adding a slightly different flavor, can be substituted for mascarpone.

Materials:

Cheese cloth*

Loaf or bowl that will hold at least 14 oz.  This container will determine the shape of your torte.

*If you don’t have or can’t find cheesecloth, I recommend using parchment paper.  Cut two strips, one the length and one the width of your pan.

1. Line pan or bowl with enough damp cheesecloth so that some extra hangs over the sides.  If using parchment paper, layer strips so all inner surfaces of the pan are covered.
2. Place pistachios in the bottom of the pan or bowl on top of the cheesecloth.
3. Spoon a quarter of the mascarpone cheese on top of the pistachios and spread out to form an even layer.
4. Spoon half of the pesto on top of the mascarpone and spread out to form an even layer. Take care not to press to hard and squish the mascarpone into the pesto. The idea is to keep the layers separate and distinct.
5. Repeat this layering process until you have three layers of mascarpone and two layers of pesto.
6. Place the torte in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least an hour

To Serve:

• Place your serving dish on top of the torte and flip it over.
• Gently lift the pan/bowl and pull on the edges of the cheesecloth until the torte slides onto the plate.
• Peel off the cheesecloth.
• May be refrigerated up to 24 hours before serving.