Shrimp Louis on Asparagus
Serves 8

To prepare dressing:  Place egg yolks, Tabasco, lemon juice and zest, and mustard in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse until combined.  With machine running, pour in oils in a slow and steady stream.  Continue processing until mixture is emulsified into a smooth mayonnaise.  Add horseradish, chili sauce, capers, and parsley.  Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To assemble salad: Pour dressing into large mixing bowl; add cooked shrimp, and stir to coat well.  Refrigerate until serving time to chill.

Arrange asparagus decoratively on chilled salad plates and top each plate with 5 shrimp.  Garnish with additional minced parsley and sprinkle with paprika. Serve well chilled.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the dressing, shrimp, and asparagus a day in advance.

Variation: Add or substitute (16-24 oz) lump crab meat for the shrimp. Add 2 diced hard cooked eggs to the dressing. Serve in peeled and pitted avocado halves, garnished with cherry tomatoes instead of on the asparagus.

How to…Cook Asparagus Tender-Crisp
Fill a large skillet or a sauté pan with water about 1½ inches deep. Bring to a boil. Add a dash of salt and add trimmed asparagus. Be sure all spears are submerged. Cook about 2-3 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus), test for desired doneness, drain and immediately place in ice water to stop the cooking. You want to preserve the bright green color. Drain the ice water and pat the asparagus dry. Roll asparagus in paper towels and store in zip-top bags in refrigerator.

Curried Chicken and Artichoke Salad
Serves 8

To prepare the dressing: Combine mayonnaise, cream, curry powder, Beau Monde, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. 
                    
To prepare the salad: Cook rice in chicken broth with butter until liquid is absorbed. Cool to room temperature. Add all other salad ingredients and dressing; stir to combine.  Refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Flavor improves if refrigerated overnight.

Make Ahead Tip: This salad is best when prepared a day in advance.

How to….Cook Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
We want cooked chicken breast to be tasty, moist, and tender. To achieve this desired result, pound chicken breast halves to an even thickness – not scaloppine, but relatively the same thickness to insure even cooking. Slice the breast into 5 diagonal strips across the grain. In the meantime bring about 2 inches of water or chicken broth to a boil in a large sauté pan. Season with salt, tops of celery, a bit of lemon and onion if desired. When water is boiling, add chicken strips. When water returns to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook chicken uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 10 minutes more. The result is perfectly cooked, moist chicken breast.

Salad of Roasted Beets and Panko-Crusted Goat Cheese with Lemon Vinaigrette
Serves 8

To prepare the goat cheese: Dip rounds of chilled goat cheese gently into beaten egg white then into the panko crumbs on all sides. Take care to not let the rounds break!! Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and return to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick skillet or sauté pan. Add goat cheese rounds and cook until light golden brown then turn and brown the second side. Place on top of salad while still warm. Note: Dental floss is perfect for neatly slicing the goat cheese.

To prepare the beets:Scrub beets and cut off greens to within an inch of the beet. Wrap red beets together in sheet of heavy duty foil; wrap golden beets together in another foil packet. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375° for 45 minutes to an hour, or until beets are tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and dice into half-inch cubes. (I recommend wearing plastic gloves when working with the beets; they stain EVERYTHING they touch!) Store separately in zip-top bags in the refrigerator until serving.

To prepare the vinaigrette: Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, honey and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. While the machine is running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper.

To assemble the salad: Toss greens with enough dressing to coat, reserving a bit to drizzle over the top. Top greens with beets, drizzle with remaining dressing, top with warm goat cheese round and sprinkle with toasted chopped nuts. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead Tip: Goat cheese can be prepared and browned a day in advance and stored on a sheet pan to be re-warmed. Beets and vinaigrette can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Nuts can be toasted a day or two in advance.

FYI….Panko Crumbs

Rose Panna Cotta
Serves 6

Soften gelatin in cold water, then heat to dissolve. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, lemon zest and sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture.  Cool to lukewarm. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla, and rose water. Evenly divide the mixture among the ramekins. Refrigerate until set, about 3-4 hours. Run a sharp knife around the panna cotta n each ramekin. Invert each onto a serving dish and top with sweetened berries. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf or a rose scented geranium leaf.