Molly’s Sensational Caesar Salad

Chicken Balsamico

Linguini with Goat Cheese and Spinach

Chocolate Almond Layered Torte

Molly’s Sensational Caesar Salad

Makes 1 1/3 Cups Dressing

Dressing:
6 Anchovy filets (canned type)
2 Egg yolks (fresh or coddled)
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Cups Grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp Lime juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 Dashes Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
½ Cup Olive oil
½ Cup Canola oil

Salad:
6 Cups Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
Homemade croutons
Shredded parmesan cheese to garnish
Combine everything except oils in a food processor and blend until smooth.  With machine running, slowly pour in oils in a slow and steady stream.  Mixture will emulsify and thicken.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Toss with crisp, clean romaine and garnish with homemade croutons and shredded Parmesan cheese!

Homemade Croutons
1 Loaf Italian Bread (or any other “sturdy” bread), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
2 Cloves Garlic, pressed
2-3 tsp Dried Italian seasoning
Kosher Salt
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, butter, and garlic. Add bread cubes and quickly toss to coat. Pour out in a single layer onto a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with Dried Italian Seasoning and kosher salt. Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Chicken Balsamico

Serves 4-6
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging
Olive oil
3 Shallots, minced
2 cloves
Garlic, minced
8 oz Sliced cremini mushrooms
3/4 Cup Dry Marsala
1/2 Cup Chicken broth
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/3 Cup
Sliced fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, and pound each until quite thin (scaloppini). Season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan until it shimmers. Quickly brown chicken breasts, turning only once. Take care to not crowd the pan!! Remove chicken to a baking sheet and finish in a 350 oven, about 10 minutes.

In the same pan, adding more oil if needed, sauté the shallots, garlic and mushrooms until tender, and mushrooms are just beginning to brown. Deglaze pan with the Marsala, reduce by half. Add broth and balsamic vinegar, and further reduce until sauce thickens somewhat. Add basil. Adjust seasonings. Serve sauce over chicken. Great served over pasta or polenta.

Linguini with Goat Cheese and Spinach

Serves 4-6
3/4 lb Linguini, cooked al dente (reserve some of the pasta water)
8 oz Soft goat cheese (not the hard crumbles!)
8 oz Fresh baby spinach, shredded
Dash Fresh grated nutmeg
Zest of 1 Lemon
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan to garnish

Cook linguini and drain (but do not rinse!!!), reserving some of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot, break up goat cheese in small bits and add to the hot pasta. Add spinach, nutmeg and lemon zest and stir until goat cheese begins to melt and coat the pasta. Add reserved pasta water as needed to thin sauce enough to coat all the noodles. Add salt and pepper and serve at once with a bit of Parmesan grated on top.

Chocolate Almond Layered Torte

Serves 12-16

For the Crust:
1 Cup Crushed amaretti cookies
½ Cups Finely chopped almonds
3 Tbsp Melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Filling:
2 Cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Cup Whipping cream
4 Eggs
1/3 Cup Flour
¼ Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Amaretto, or other almond flavored liqueur
1 tsp Vanilla
½ Cup Sliced almonds (not slivers), toasted

To prepare the crust: Combine crushed cookies, almonds, melted butter and cinnamon and place in greased 9″ springform pan to cover bottom and 1/2″ up sides.  Set aside.
To prepare the filling: In saucepan or microwave, heat cream and chocolate chips until chocolate is melted.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.  Transfer to bowl of electric mixer or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add eggs, beat well after each.  Add flour, sugar and vanilla.  Beat again to combine well.  Pour half into the springform pan, gently smoothing the top, then topping with the sliced almonds. Very carefully spoon on the remaining filling, and bake at 325° for about 35 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Chill in refrigerator until serving time.  Slice thin; this is extremely rich!  This cake is wonderful garnished with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream