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Crisp Greens, Pear and Walnut Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

6 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 head romaine, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 pear, peeled and diced

½ cup walnuts

Crumbled gorgonzola

• Add vinegar, Dijon and garlic to a large mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Add lettuce, pears and walnuts to the mixing bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat leaves. Serve topped with gorgonzola.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup white wine

2 cups crushed San Marzano tomatoes, with juices

Chicken stock, as needed

2 to 3 basil leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper

• Season shrimp lightly with salt and pepper. Preheat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil; heat until warm. Add shrimp; cook, turning once until center is no longer translucent. Remove from pan.
• Add onion; cook until soften but not browned. Stir in garlic, peppers and oregano; cook 1 minute.
• Add white wine; cook until reduced by half. Add tomatoes; bring to a simmer and cook until flavors combine (add stock as needed to thin sauce).
• Return shrimp to pan; cook until warmed through. Add basil, season with salt and pepper.

Seared Chicken with Demi-glace Sauce

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 to 3 tablespoons oil, divided

4 chicken breasts, cut into thin medallions

2 shallots, minced

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup marsala wine

½ cup demi-glace

Fresh herbs

Salt and pepper

• Place porcinis in a heat proof measuring cup. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over and let stand until cool. Scoop out mushrooms; chop. Pour out water carefully leaving any grit behind. Reserve water; discard any grit.
• Bring a heavy skillet to medium-high heat; add oil. Cook chicken breasts, turning once, until they are browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a serving dish; keep warm.
• Add shallots, button mushrooms and reserved porcinis; cook until nicely browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
• Add the marsala wine and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the reserved mushroom water and demi-glace; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until reduced by one-third. Season with herbs, salt and pepper.
• Serve chicken topped with sauce.

Apple Crostada with Almond Filling

2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1-¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup cold water, or as needed

4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

1 egg yolk, mixed with a little water

Coarse sugar

• Add butter, salt and flour to food processor until it resembles coarse meal. Add the water and pulse just until dough forms. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and flatten each into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss together the apples, sugar and cinnamon.
• Roll out each piece of dough to a 12-inch round. Transfer each to a baking sheet lined with silpat. Spread half of the almond filling on each of the rounds, leaving a 1-inch border. Top each with half of the fruit. Fold the edge of the tart dough over the fruit.
• Brush the crusts with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake the croustades for about 50 minutes, or until the crusts are golden, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer to racks to cool for 20 minutes.

Almond Filling

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup almond paste

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup cake flour

• Add butter and almond paste to bowl of a stand mixer; beat until smooth. Add sugar; mix to combine. Add egg and beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl, if necessary. With the mixer on low, add cake flour. Continue mixing until well combined; set aside.