Chicken Paillards and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

You need:

2 chicken breasts pounded
A pound of cherry tomatoes
Worcester sauce
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Dried Italian herbs or herbs de provance
Butter
Red wine
Shallots

Preheat your oven to 400
Put a couple tbsp of your olive oil in an ovenproof skillet, add
tomatoes & herbs. Stir, then put skillet in oven for 15 minutes or so,
til the tomatoes burst and release their juices like your mama at a Rod
Stewart concert. Place in bowl & toss with a bit of Worcester sauce.

Salt and pepper both sides of your chicken, then pan fry about 4
minutes per side on medium high heat. Let chicken rest, it's tired.

Put a knob of butter in the same pan, add shallots for a minute, then
deglaze pan with a splash of red wine. Add tomato mixture and sauté
til thickened, about 4 minutes.

Put tomatoes on your chicken & enjoy!

Posted by Mister Gardner, stay at home dad.

Purslane (Edible Weeds)

Edible weeds.  We like the lemony taste. Purslane is highly nutritious and grows prolifically. So here it is.

Purslane Recipes

Here's a great looking recipe for Purslane from Epicurious.com.  Check out recipes on our  Epicurious link in the side bar when you don't know what to do for dinner.

Purslane and Parsley Salad

Gourmet  | August 2008

by Ian Knauer

yield: Makes 6 servings

active time: 30 min

total time: 30 min

You might run across purslane, with its glossy, plump leaves, at a farmers market—and you might even find it growing in the cracks of your sidewalk or in your yard. Luckily, this incredibly nutritious and juicy green is a weed, which means it pops up wild nearly everywhere. Lots of chopped parsley and a simple vinaigrette flatter its herbal, lemony crunch. hide ›

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ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes (preferably assorted heirloom varieties), halved or quartered if large
• 6 cups packed tender purslane sprigs and leaves (from a 1-pound bunch)
• 4 cups packed flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 2 large bunches)

preparation

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, shallot, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Add tomatoes, purslane, and parsley, gently tossing to coat.

Cooks' note:Herbs and greens can be washed and dried 1 day ahead, then chilled in sealed plastic bags lined with paper towels. Toss with tomatoes and vinaigrette just before serving.

Or Try

Chopped Arabic Salad

Gourmet  | May 2004

yield: Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

This salad is wonderfully refreshing even without purslane, but if you can find the green at your produce market, it's worth using for the nice... more ›

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ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 (1/2-lb) cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 1/3 cups)
• 1 lb tomatoes (3 medium), cut into 1/3-inch dice (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small) or 1 cup chopped scallions (about 5)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped purslane (optional)
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint (from 1 bunch)

preparation

Cut peel, including all white pith, from lemon with a sharp paring knife. Working over a bowl, cut segments from half of lemon free from membranes and transfer segments to a cutting board, then squeeze juice from membranes and remaining 1/2 lemon into bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons juice to a large bowl, then finely chop segments and add to measured juice. Add salt, pepper, and oil, whisking to combine, then stir in remaining ingredients.

Here's some helpful info on Purslane found on Wikipedia

Culinary usage

A Purslane cultivar grown as a vegetable

Although purslane is considered a weed in the United States, it can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. It has a slightly sour and salty taste and is eaten throughout much of Europe, Asia and Mexico.^[3][1] The stems, leaves and flower buds are all good to eat. Purslane can be used fresh as a salad, stir-fried, or cooked like spinach, and because of itsmucilaginous quality it is also suitable for soups and stews. Australian Aborigines used to use the seeds to makeseedcakes.

Purslane contains more Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid in particular^[4]) than any other leafy vegetable plant. Simopoulos states that Purslane has .01 mg/g of Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). This is an extraordinary amount of EPA for land based vegetable sources. EPA is an Omega-3 fatty acid normally found mostly in fish, some algae and flax seeds. ^[5] It also contains vitamins (mainly vitamin A, vitamin C, and some vitamin B and carotenoids), as well asdietary minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron. Also present are two types of betalain alkaloid pigments, the reddish betacyanins (visible in the coloration of the stems) and the yellow betaxanthins (noticeable in the flowers and in the slight yellowish cast of the leaves). Both of these pigment types are potent antioxidants and have been found to have antimutagenic properties in laboratory studies.^[6]

100 grams of fresh purslane leaves (about 1 cup) contain 300 to 400 mg of alpha-linolenic acid ^[7]. One cup of cooked leaves contains 90 mg of calcium, 561 mg of potassium, and more than 2,000 IUs of vitamin A.

A Minestrone for Fall

While it is foggy in Ventura, you might enjoy a Minestrone. You might not think you like minestrone. This soup can evoke memories of trying to choke down soggy tomatoes and zucchini. Who would do that to a vegetable?
I've had a Minestrone Renaissance- I cook everything al dente, garnish it with plenty of fresh basil and freshly grated parmigiano reggiano from my great grandmother's Italian wooden cheese grater, and pair it with a hunk of Kate Pepper's delicious bread. Minestrone uses the vast majority of the ingredients in the summer harvest, and with some technique- it is a perfect light summer dinner. Give it another try.

I've been doing my minestrone research; minestrone means "the big soup" and comes from a style of cooking the Italians call "cucina povera"- the poor kitchen. Like most provincial food, it is based on what is abundant- so use what you got.

Start with a base of sauteéd onions and garlic cooked in butter and olive oil until they are translucent. Add your herbs (rosemary, thyme, fresh oregano or marjoram). Add stock and water in ratio with the amount of soup you want. While the stock is coming to a boil, prepare your ingredients.

Potatoes- cubed

Zucchini- cut in thick rounds, half moon, or quarters

Tomatoes- quartered

Peppers- sliced

Chard- cut into strips

Basil- cut into thin strips

Cannellini Beans- cooked, rinsed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Add the potatoes to the stock and boil until tender. Add the beans.

Meanwhile, sauté the chard with salt and butter. In a separate pan, sauté the zucchini and sweet peppers just until al dente with more fresh herbs and salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are ready, combine the zucchini, peppers, chard, fresh tomatoes, and 1/2 the basil . Let simmer for a minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a large flat bowl and garnish with fresh tomatoes, basil, fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a dash of cream. (You may like to add pasta shells at the end)

Tomatoes and Pasta

Is it just me, or are little tomatoes so much more manageable than the big guys? Sure a great big heirloom is nice for a sandwich, but when it comes to throwing them into dinner, the little tomatoes always win in my book. Here's a fast and easy weeknight meal with great fresh tomatoes!

• 16 to 18 ounces fresh or frozen cheese ravioli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup dry white wine
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 
  

1. Cook the ravioli according to the package directions, drain, and return them to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, wine, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Gently toss the ravioli with the tomato mixture, butter, and parsley.