Chef Tom Fraker

Valentine’s Day Dinner For Two

Name: Valentine’s Day Dinner For Two
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Thighs - pounded thin; 4 tablespoons Tomato Paste; 4 cloves Melissa’s Peeled Garlic - smashed; 2 Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers; 4 small sticks (about 1/4 lb. total) Sharp Cheddar Cheese; 4 teaspoons Fresh Cilantro - chopped; Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper - to taste; Butcher’s Twine; Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 (15.5 oz.) can Chicken Broth or Stock; 2 cups Strawberries - chopped; 1/2 cup Red Onion - diced small; 2 tablespoons Cilantro - chopped; 1 Serrano Chile - cut into thin rounds; Juice from 1 Lime; 1 pinch of Kosher Salt; 3/4 pounds Melissa’s Baby Dutch Yellow® Potatoes - halved; 1 pinch Kosher Salt; 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves; ½ cup Shredded Parmesan; ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1/3 cup Melissa’s Pine Nuts; 3 cloves Melissa’s Peeled Garlic; Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper; Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional); 1/2 pound Rainbow Baby Carrots - peeled; 2 pinches Kosher Salt - divided use; 1/4 cup Brown Sugar; 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

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Cuisine

American

Servings

2 servings

Prep Time

60 minutes

Cook Time

50 minutes

Ingredients

Chicken Thigh Roulade

4 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Thighs - pounded thin
4 tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cloves Melissa’s Peeled Garlic - smashed
2 Melissa’s Fire Roasted Sweet Red Bell Peppers
4 small sticks (about 1/4 lb. total) Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 teaspoons Fresh Cilantro - chopped
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper - to taste
Butcher’s Twine
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (15.5 oz.) can Chicken Broth or Stock

Strawberry Salsa

2 cups Strawberries - chopped
1/2 cup Red Onion - diced small
2 tablespoons Cilantro - chopped
1 Serrano Chile - cut into thin rounds
Juice from 1 Lime
1 pinch of Kosher Salt

Smashed Basil Pesto DYPs

3/4 pounds Melissa’s Baby Dutch Yellow® Potatoes - halved
1 pinch Kosher Salt
2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
½ cup Shredded Parmesan
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Melissa’s Pine Nuts
3 cloves Melissa’s Peeled Garlic
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Brown Sugar Baby Carrots

1/2 pound Rainbow Baby Carrots - peeled
2 pinches Kosher Salt - divided use
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

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Directions

For the Chicken Thigh Roulade

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Lay the chicken out on a flat surface and smear 1 tablespoon of the tomato paste on each thigh. Place equal parts of the garlic and red bell pepper on each one. Place 1 stick of cheese on each and sprinkle with equal parts of the cilantro. Season with the salt and pepper and roll them up tight. Secure them with butcher’s twine.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sear the chicken on all sides. Add the chicken stock, cover and place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken Is completely cooked through.

For the Salsa

Carefully stir all of the salsa ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

For the Potatoes

Place the potatoes In a pot of room temperature water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and gently boil until just fork tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain them, place them in a bowl and smash them.
In a food processor or blender, pulse together the basil and parmesan until blended. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and creamy. Pulse in the pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper and pepper flakes, if using, until desired texture is achieved. Makes about 3 cups of pesto.
Add the pesto (the amount to your liking) to the potatoes, stir and set aside.

For the Carrots

Place a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add 1 pinch of salt and the carrots to the boiling water and blanch until tender but still crisp, about 10-12 minutes.
In a sauté pan, melt together the butter, brown sugar and the other pinch of salt. Stir in the carrots and sauté for 5 minutes.
To serve, prepare 2 plates. Place equal portions of the potatoes on each plate. Place 2 of the roulades, just on the edge of the potatoes and top with some of the salsa. place half of the carrots on each plate and serve.

Recipe Note

Don’t toss out the liquid from the chicken. Bring It to a boil and stir in some slurry (Equal parts corn starch to cold water) to make a sauce. Cool It down and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Valentine’s Day Dinner For Two