French Onion Soup

• French Onion Soup 2
• Homemade Chicken Broth 2
• Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Speedy Pan Sauce
• Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts

French Onion Soup 2

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Ingredients:

Caramelized Onions

• 3 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp oil
• 5 x large onions, peeled and sliced thinly
• Splash of water
• Salt

The Soup

• 1/2 cup brandy
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 cups Homemade Chicken Broth (recipe from this episode)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices slices multi-grain bread, cut into rounds to fit bowls, toasted
• 2 cups Swiss, Gruyere or emmenthal cheese, grated

Directions:

Caramelized Onions

1. Toss the butter, oil, onions and water into a large soup pot with a few pinches of salt.
2. Cover with a tight fitting lid and let the onions soften over a medium high heat, about 10 minutes.
3. When the water has evaporated, remove the lid, turn heat to low and begin to slowly caramelize onions, stirring frequently. This will take about one hour.

The Soup

1. When the onions are a deep golden colour and have shrunk dramatically, add the brandy, thyme and broth.
2. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat your oven's broiler. Ladle the soup into 4 onion soup or ovenproof bowls and fit a slice of toast over each bowl.
4. Sprinkle each evenly with the cheese and place bowls onto a baking sheet.
5. Place under the broiler and broil until the soup is bubbling and the tops are golden brown.

Homemade Chicken Broth 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 2 litres

Ingredients:

Homemade Chicken Broth

• 1 chicken carcass
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, washed and chopped
• 3 celery ribs, washed and chopped
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:

Homemade Chicken Broth

1. Place all ingredients into a large soup pot and cover with cold water so that the liquid level is 2 inches above the carcass.
2. Bring to a slow simmer, then simmer gently for two hours, occasionally skimming any foam that rises to the top.
3. Strain and refrigerate broth for up to one week, or freeze.

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts with Speedy Pan Sauce

Yield: 2

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Ingredients:

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 chicken breasts, skin on

Speedy Pan Sauce

• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Directions:

Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts

1. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.
2. When the pan is hot, add butter and oil and when it sizzles, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add to the pan, skin side down.
3. Sear until they are well browned, about 10 minutes and then turn them and finish cooking for about 8 minutes.
4. When they are done, remove to a plate and reserve.

Speedy Pan Sauce

1. Add onion and garlic to the hot pan, and sauté for a few minutes, until they are softened and begin to caramelize.
2. Add wine and reduce it by half.
3. Add orange juice and continue to reduce until the sauce has a syrup-like consistency.
4. Slice chicken breasts on the bias, and arrange on a small serving platter. Pour the sauce over them and serve.

Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts

Yield: 4

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Ingredients:

Raspberry Vinaigrette

• 2 tbsp raspberry jelly
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Candied Walnuts

• 1 egg white, whisked until frothy
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 cups walnut pieces
• Salt and pepper

Spinach Salad

• 1 lb. baby spinach
• Half a red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1. Pour the vinaigrette ingredients into a small jar and shake until smooth.
2. Alternately, whisk together in a small bowl.

Candied Walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Whisk the frothy egg whites with the honey.
3. Add walnuts, salt and pepper and toss well.
4. Bake until they are golden and crisped, about fifteen minutes. Let cool.

Spinach Salad

1. Toss the spinach and red onion with the dressing.
2. Top with the crispy walnuts.

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Colorful Halibut

Paper-baked halibut with julienne vegetables, rice paper tuna salad roll, cherry tomato crisp and curried cauliflower soup with red pepper puree add colourful flavour to Michael’s dinner table.

• Cherry Tomato Crisp
• Curried Cauliflower Soup with Red Pepper Puree
• Paper Baked Halibut with Julienne Vegetables
• Rice Paper Tuna Salad Roll
• Roast Chicken Broth

Cherry Tomato Crisp

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Cherry Tomato Crisp

• 2 lb. of cherry tomatoes, whole
• 1 x red onion, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 loaf loaf of whole wheat bread
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Cherry Tomato Crisp

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss tomatoes, onion and garlic with 3 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour into an 8-inch by 8-inch ovenproof baking dish.
4. Tear bread into bite-sized pieces and toss with olive oil and sprinkle on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and bake for 30 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Curried Cauliflower Soup with Red Pepper Puree

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

For the Curried Cauliflower Soup:

• 1 heads of cauliflower, trimmed into florets
• 1 x onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups of orange juice
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 1 tbsp of curry powder

For the Red Pepper Puree:

• 1 x red pepper, seeds and stem removed and cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup of tomato juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the Curried Cauliflower Soup:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss cauliflower and onion with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, until well caramelized. Put into a large soup pot and add orange juice, stock, curry powder and check for seasoning. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Puree with an immersion blender, or in small batches in a blender.
4. Reheat just prior to serving. Garnish with Red Pepper Puree.

For the Red Pepper Puree:

1. Simmer all of the ingredients together until peppers are soft.
2. Puree in a blender until smooth.
3. Drizzle into the hot soup.

Paper Baked Halibut with Julienne Vegetables

Ingredients:

Paper Baked Halibut with Julienne Vegetables

• 4 x 6 oz halibut filets
• 1 x carrot
• 1 x red pepper
• 1 cup of snow peas
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp Salt and pepper

Directions:

Paper Baked Halibut with Julienne Vegetables

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut carrot, red pepper, and snow peas into a julienne. Toss in a bowl with lemon zest, olive oil and salt and pepper.
3. Fold a 16” by 16” piece of parchment paper in half and cut out a large heart shape, with the fold being the centre of the heart. Open it up and then place some of the vegetables along the fold. Place piece of halibut on top of the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on a little lemon juice.
4. Fold the other half of the heart over and begin to fold and roll over the edges to create a package. Twist end to seal.
5. Put on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Rice Paper Tuna Salad Roll

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Rice Paper Tuna Salad Roll

• 4 x rice paper wraps
• 1 can of tuna, drained
• 1 tbsp grainy mustard
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 x green onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup of cilantro leaves
• 1 x dill pickle, cut into long skinny quarters
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Rice Paper Tuna Salad Roll

1. Pour some water into a shallow dish. Add rice paper wraps and soak for about 2 minutes, until they become translucent and soften. Lay on a kitchen towel and blot to dry.
2. Toss tuna together with mustard, oil, lemon juice, green onion, cilantro and salt and pepper.
3. Place a rice paper wrap on a counter top and lay a piece of dill pickle along the edge closest to you. Add one quarter of the tuna salad on top of the pickle and give 1 complete roll. Fold in ends and continue to roll up. Repeat for each wrap.

Roast Chicken Broth

Ingredients:

Roast Chicken Broth

• 1 kg. of chicken wings
• Several carrots, chopped
• Several stalks of celery, chopped
• Several onions, chopped
• 4 x bay leafs
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

Roast Chicken Broth

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Roast chicken wings in a roasting pan or sauté pan until golden brown.
3. Put roasted chicken wings into a large stockpot, Add a splash of cold water to the roasting pan and stir until all the bits on the pans bottom dissolve. Add vegetables, bay leaf and thyme. Cover with cold water and simmer for 2 hours. Strain.

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