Baked Ricotta Bowls With Chicken And Parmesan And A Mixed Green Salad With Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Recipes

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.;
• In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove the bay leaves and check for seasoning. If the sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors. Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with the remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

BASIL-PARMESAN CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot, bring the water to a boil. Peel, trim, and quarter the onion. Peel, trim, and smash the garlic.
• Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, parsley, and salt to the boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes.
• Carefully slide the chicken breasts into the pot and return the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and poach the chicken for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the cover, and let the chicken cool in the liquid.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the broth, skin and bone it, and shred into bite-sized pieces. Put in a large bowl. (Be sure to strain and reserve the broth for making soups or sauces.)
• Make the dressing: Peel, trim, and chop the garlic as fine as possible. Rinse the basil leaves, pat them dry, and chop very fine.
• In a bowl, combine the garlic and basil with the remaining dressing ingredients. If you would like a smoother sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until saucelike.
• Spoon the dressing over the chicken, toss well to combine, and transfer to a serving platter. Serve within 1 hour of finishing.

PARMESAN-BAKED RICOTTA WITH TOMATO, OLIVE & BASIL SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Beat the ricotta and eggs together, fold in most of the Parmesan, then season to taste. Line a 900g/2lb loaf tin with parchment, then scoop the ricotta into the tin. Level the top, scatter with the remaining cheese, then bake for 35 mins or until set and golden. Let cool, then turn it out. You can do this a day ahead.
• Slice the tomatoes fairly thickly, then very roughly chop the olives. Whisk the olive oils, vinegar, sugar, garlic, olives and seasoning together. Just before you serve, roughly chop a few of the basil leaves and stir most into the dressing.
• To serve, slice the ricotta and put onto plates. Toss the tomatoes with most of the basil and a little dressing. Serve alongside the ricotta, drizzle dressing over and scatter with remaining basil.