Salad of Baby Beets with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons/50 ml plus 2/3 cup/175 ml balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup/55 ml plus 1 tablespoon/15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 bunches baby red and golden beets with leaves (about 12 beets)
1 head frisée lettuce, leaves separated
1 sprig fresh thyme
4 ounces/100 g soft goat cheese

Method:
 
To make the Dressing and Balsamic Reduction
 
Whisk 3 tablespoons/50 ml of the balsamic vinegar in a large bowl.  Slowly add 1/4 cup/55 ml of the olive oil, whisking constantly until the vinegar and oil are emulsified together. 

Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Trim the leaves from 1 of the beets. Reserve the leaves. Finely dice the beet.  Combine the finely diced beet and the remaining 2/3 cup/175 ml of balsamic vinegar in a heavy small sauté pan over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vinegar thickens slightly and is reduced to a glaze. 

To prepare the Salad:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat.  Trim the leaves from the remaining beets, leaving about 3 inches/8 cm of the stems on the beets. Cook all the leaves in the boiling water for 15 seconds, or until bright green.  Transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice water to cool them quickly.  Drain the beet leaves and pat them dry.

Mix the beet leaves with the frisée lettuce.  Cover and refrigerate the beet leaves and frisée while preparing the beets.  Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.  Wash the beets carefully, using a small brush to ensure there is no sand or grit remaining.  Cut the beets lengthwise in half. Arrange the beets on a baking sheet.

Drizzle of the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of the oil over the beets and season with salt and pepper.  Remove the thyme leaves from the stem and sprinkle the leaves over the beets.  Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake the beets in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the beets are almost tender. 

Remove the foil and bake the beets 15 minutes longer, or until they are tender and begin to caramelize.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Toss the beets, frisée and beet leaves in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Season the salad to taste with salt and pepper.  

Divide the salad among 4 plates.  Using 2 small knives or 2 small spoons, place 5 or 6 small pieces of the goat cheese over each salad.  Drizzle the balsamic reduction around the salads and serve.  

Coq Au Vin

Serves 4

Ingredients:

One 6-pound/2.7-kg whole organic chicken (backbone removed, cut into 8 pieces — 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts)
2 cups/470 ml dry red wine
12 small shallots, halved lengthwise, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 large sprig fresh thyme
2 large garlic cloves, bruised
3 cups/680 ml chicken stock
One 4-ounce/115-g slab bacon, cut into narrow strips (also known as "lardons")
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup/45 g all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon/20 g tomato paste
8 white mushrooms, trimmed
8 cremini mushrooms, trimmed
1 tablespoon/about 2 g chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Method:

Combine the chicken, wine, shallots, bay leaves, thyme and garlic cloves in a 13x9-inch/33x23-cm baking dish. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day, turning the chicken occasionally.Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon strips and simmer for 8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl. Spoon off any fat that rises to the top of the stock. Set the stock and bacon aside.  Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.  Pour the chicken mixture into a colander that is set over a large bowl. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Reserve the marinade liquid in the bowl and the shallots, herbs and garlic in the colander.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly.  Heat the oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.  Working in 3 batches, add the chicken pieces and cook until they are deep golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch.  Transfer the chicken to a plate and pour off the excess oil from the pot.  Add the reserved shallots and sauté for 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown and become tender. 

Add the reserved bacon pieces and garlic.  Add the mushrooms and the reserved herbs and sauté for 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown and begin to soften.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Add the strained marinade liquid and the reserved chicken stock.

Bring the liquids to a simmer over high heat.  Nestle the chicken pieces into the cooking liquid.  Place the uncovered pot in the oven for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Transfer the chicken from the cooking liquid to a platter. Cover the chicken to keep it warm.  Simmer the cooking liquid over medium-high heat until it is reduces and forms a slightly thickened sauce, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add the chopped parsley to the sauce.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Pear Fritters with Cinnamon Sugar and Pear Sorbet

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup/155 g all purpose flour
1 cup/230 ml cold water
3 ounces/85 g crushed ice
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1/2 cup/100 g sugar
1 tablespoon/about 5 g ground cinnamon
4 under-ripe Anjou pears, each cut into 8 wedges and cored

Additional all-purpose flour, for dredging
1 pint pear sorbet

Method:

To make the Batter:

In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup/155 g of the flour, the water and ice gently to form a lumpy batter.  A few lumps of ice and flour are fine.

To make the Fritters: 

Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1/3 up the sides of the pan.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Mix the sugar and the cinnamon together in a small bowl. 

Working in four batches and using 1 tablespoon/12 g of the cinnamon sugar per batch, toss the pears with the cinnamon sugar in a large bowl to coat.  Immediately dredge the sugar-coated pears in the additional flour to coat, then add the pears to the batter. Place the pears into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until the coating is crisp and the pears are tender. 

Using tongs, transfer the pear fritters from the oil and onto paper towels to drain the excess oil from the fritters. Sprinkle the hot fritters with some of the remaining cinnamon sugar. Place the cooked fritters on a rack while preparing the remaining fritters. This will keep the fritters crisp and prevent them from becoming soggy.

Divide the pear fritters among 4 plates. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.  Serve with pear sorbet. Vanilla ice cream would be a good substitute if you can't find pear sorbet.