PRESENTS THIS WEEK’S RECIPES:

GRILLED EGGPLANT, MARINATED TOMATO & ARUGULA SALAD

PENNE ALLA CHECCA

VANILLA CARAMEL BUDINO WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling the eggplant
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 4 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade*
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 plum tomatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 large or 2 medium Italian eggplants, about 1-1/2 pounds, trimmed and 1/8-inch thick slices
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 small bunches arugula, very well washed, dried, with any tough stems removed
• 1 ounce Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

* Chiffonade is a cooking technique in which herbs or green leafy vegetables (such as basil) are cut into long, thin strips.

PROCEDURE

1. Marinate the Tomatoes: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, the oregano, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat. Let stand at least 45 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours refrigerated.
2. Salt the Eggplant: Put the eggplant slices in a colander and toss
   with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Put the colander in a clean sink, weight the eggplant, and allow the salt to draw out the excess moisture for 30 minutes.
3. Grill the Eggplant: Heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan to medium-high.
   Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush them on both sides with olive oil. Grill for a couple of minutes on both sides; you want the eggplant to brown lightly and just barely crisp around the edges. Cool in a single layer, preferably on a cooling rack, so the eggplant doesn’t steam and become mushy.
4. Dress the Greens: In a small bowl, whisk together the other 1/2
   cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and the mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Use some of this vinaigrette to very lightly
   dress the arugula just before assembling the salad.
5. To Serve: Divide the marinated tomatoes among four large plates. Lay 6 to 8 slices of eggplant on the counter, overlapping them slightly to form a rectangle measuring about 7 inches by 5 inches. Lay a handful of the dressed arugula along the bottom edge of the eggplant and roll the eggplant around the arugula, allowing some of the arugula to peak out at both ends. Repeat until you have four rolls.

PLATING SUGGESTION

Either lay one whole roll on each plate or slice each roll in half crosswise and position the halves on top of the tomatoes with their cut-side down, two halves per plate. Top with shaved Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 pound penne pasta
• 1 pound fresh heirloom tomatoes
• 1 pound mozzarella
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 basil leaves
• Sea salt

PROCEDURE
1. Cut tomatoes into bite size pieces, 1-inch dice
2. Cut mozzarella into bite size pieces, 1-inch cubes
3. Reserve both in a large bowl
4. Tear basil and add to tomatoes and mozzarella
5. Cook penne in boiling salted water
6. When cooked al dente, drain well and toss together with tomatoes,
   mozzarella and basil
7. Sprinkle with sea salt and olive oil
8. Serve with black pepper (optional)

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

For the Budino:
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/4 cup plus 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 4 ounces unsalted butter

To Serve:
• Salted Caramel Sauce (See recipe below; reheated to warm if made ahead)
• 16 pieces Chocolate Pretzel Toffee (See recipe below; optional)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

PROCEDURE

1. Whisk together the egg yolks with the 2 tablespoons of the cream, the 2 tablespoons of the milk, and the cornstarch. Fill a large bowl with ice.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1-1/2 cups of cream, 1-1/2 cups of milk, the 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and the salt. Open the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream with the tip of a paring knife. Add the pod to the pot as well and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup of brown sugar and the butter and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heatproof non-metal spatula, until the butter is melted, the sugar dissolved, and the mixture smells nutty, about 5 minutes.
4. Slowly stir in the warm cream mixture into the butter and sugar (be careful as it will bubble and sputter) until well incorporated. Whisk a small ladleful of the warm cream into the egg yolk mixture a little at a time. Then slowly mix the cream and egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Let bubble and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring until a thick custard forms.
5. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large glass measure (you will have about 3-3/4 cups) or a bowl. Cool the pudding by nestling the measure into the ice bath and stirring it occasionally (at the restaurant we will give it a whir with the immersion blender while it’s cooling to speed the process and incorporate a little air into the pudding, but you can skip that step).
6. Divide the pudding among 6 or 8 serving dishes, preferably small, glass cups; they should be about three-quarters full. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

PLATING SUGGESTION

Reheat the Salted Caramel Sauce, if necessary. Combine the heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla and whisk to medium peaks. Pour a little caramel sauce over each serving of pudding. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of the sea salt. Serve with pieces of the Chocolate Pretzel Toffee alongside, if you desire.

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• 4 ounces unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 1 cup sugar

PROCEDURE

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and salt. Open the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream with the tip of a paring knife. Add the pod to the saucepan as well and bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the butter and sugar together over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the butter as well as the sugar has melted, and the mixture is thin and a deep amber color. Carefully pour the hot cream over the caramel; it will bubble and spurt. Strain through chinois.*

*Chinois strainers are fine mesh, conical-shaped strainers.

CHOCOLATE PRETZEL TOFFEE

Makes about 30 2-inch squares

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 ounces dark chocolate (about 1-1/2 cups chopped), melted
• 1 handful pretzels, crushed finely with some larger pieces remaining

PROCEDURE

1. Line a sided baking sheet with a Silpat (if you don’t have a Silpat, you can use buttered wax paper). Melt the butter in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy/frying thermometer. Add the sugar, water, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir constantly over high heat with a
   wooden spoon. As the mixture cooks it will bubble and spurt. Keep cooking and stirring until the mixture reaches 295°F, about 8 minutes.
2. Immediately and carefully pour the toffee onto the Silpat and spread thinly with an offset spatula. Let the toffee cool to room temperature then spread a thin coating of melted chocolate over it. While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle the crushed pretzels over the chocolate.
3. Refrigerate for at least three hours before using. Then, either snap off irregular shaped pieces of toffee for serving or transfer to a cutting board and use a chef’s knife to cut squares or other shapes. The toffee will keep for a week or so in the refrigerator.