Balthazar Salad Recipes

ENDIVE SALAD BOATS

Steps:

• Lay the bacon in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop and set aside.
• Separate the endive leaves and arrange 14 large spears on a serving platter. Set aside the remaining leaves.
• Divide the tomatoes evenly between the endive spears. Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing. Top with the red onion, bacon and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the remaining endive leaves and use them to garnish the platter before serving.

GRILLED CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH ARUGULA AND SHAVED PECORINO

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to high. (If you hold your hand about 3 inches from the grill grate, you should have to move it within 3 seconds.)
• Arrange a chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or small heavy pan, pound the chicken evenly until it is 1/4 inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap and repeat with the remaining chicken breasts; put the paillards on a baking sheet and brush both sides of each piece lightly with oil. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the garlic powder and sprinkle it evenly over both sides of the chicken pieces.
• Lightly oil the grill grate with an oil-soaked towel. Grill the chicken, turning once, until cooked through and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean platter.
• In a large bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice, mustard and 2 tablespoons oil until combined; season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the arugula to the bowl and toss to evenly coat.
• Put a piece of chicken on each of four plates and top with a mound of arugula. Garnish with cheese and more pepper to taste and serve immediately.

CHOPPED SALAD

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, combine the onions, water, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
• Add 1/2 cup of the oil to the vinegar mixture. Add additional to taste.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, roasted peppers, olives, haricots verts, cucumber, and herbs. Toss with enough dressing to coat, and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve any remaining dressing on the side.

BALTHAZAR'S BRAISED BEEF RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F
• Bind each rib with cotton kitchen twine. Place the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf between the two celery halves and bind with kitchen twine.
• Season the short ribs with 2 teaspoons of the salt and the pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over a high flame until it smokes.
• In two batches, brown the short ribs well on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, pouring off all but 3 tablespoons of oil between batches.
• Remove the ribs and set aside when done.
• Lower the flame to medium, and add the carrots, onion, shallots, and garlic to the pot and saute for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and light brown.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the flour and stir well to combine. Add the port, red wine, and the celery-herb bundle.
• Raise the flame to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by a third, about 20 minutes.
• Return the ribs to the pot (they will stack into two layers).
• Add the stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt; if the stock doesn't cover the ribs by at least 1 inch, add water up to that level.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, transfer to the preheated oven, and cook for 3 hours. Visit the pot occasionally and stir the ribs, bringing the ones on the bottom up to the top -- they're done when the meat is fork tender and falling off the bone.
• Transfer the ribs to a large platter and remove the strings.
• Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce, and then strain through a sieve into a medium saucepan.
• Discard the solids.
• Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a strong simmer and reduce the liquid until slightly less then half (4 cups) remains, about 1 hour.
• Return the ribs to the pot, simmer for 10 minutes to reheat, and serve.