Balthazar Salad Recipes

ENDIVE SALAD BOATS

Steps:

• Lay the bacon in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Chop and set aside.
• Separate the endive leaves and arrange 14 large spears on a serving platter. Set aside the remaining leaves.
• Divide the tomatoes evenly between the endive spears. Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing. Top with the red onion, bacon and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the remaining endive leaves and use them to garnish the platter before serving.

BALTHAZAR SALAD

Steps:

• Roughly chop the lettuces and mix with fennel and radish.
• Blanch asparagus and haricots verts in boiling water until tender, 6 minutes. Transfer to ice bath, then drain.
• Add the asparagus and haricots verts to the greens. Separately, combine vinaigrette ingredients, shake and dress salad. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the salad among 6 plates, topping each with a slice of ricotta salata, a wedge of avocado, some julienned beet and lemon zest. Finish with a pinch of breadcrumbs.

WARM SALAD OF GRILLED TROUT WITH SPINACH AND LENTILS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and mustard to form a glaze. Set aside.
• Prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl and bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus until tender, 6 minutes. Drain and refresh them in the ice water to preserve their color. Drain again and set aside.
• Heat the lentils over a low flame and keep warm.
• Spray a grill or grill pan with nonstick spray and preheat until it's very hot (if using a grill pan, heat for at least 4 minutes). Dry the fillets and season the flesh sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, then brush both sides with the olive oil. Place the fish, skin side down, on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Flip the fish and brush the skin side with the reserved honey-mustard glaze. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Hold the cooked trout aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan often to prevent burning. Season the nuts with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vinegar has reduced to a thick syrup that coats the nuts. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and stir for an additional minute. Turn the flame down to low and add the asparagus.
• In a small saucepan, bring the remaining 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil. Cook for about 3 minutes, until it has reduced down to 2 tablespoons.
• Turn the flame off under the asparagus-walnut mixture and add the baby spinach along with a drizzle of the balsamic glaze. Gently toss to combine, and allow the heat of the pan to wilt the spinach.
• Plate the salad by creating a small bed of the spinach-asparagus mixture in the center of the plate, surrounded by 3 dollops of warm lentils. Place 2 trout fillets, skin side up, on top of the spinach mixture. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze.

BALTHAZAR MACARONI GRATIN (AKA MACARONI AND CHEESE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Drain, toss with the olive oil, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the bacon to a small skillet and sauté over medium heat until brown but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and add to the cooked macaroni.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a foamy boil, then reduce the heat to very low to keep warm.
• In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, remove from the heat. Whisk in the flour and continue stirring until a smooth, pale roux has formed. Return the saucepan to medium heat and, while still whisking steadily, begin ladling the hot milk into the roux, 1 cup at a time, completely incorporating each cup before adding the next. After all the milk has been added, continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan, 2 cups of the Gruyère, and the salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese has completely melted.
• Pour the sauce over the macaroni, mix thoroughly, and pour into a buttered 10 X 14-inch gratin dish. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove, sprinkle the remaining cup of Gruyère over tire top, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy.