Lunch’s (Culver City, CA) Green Apple Chicken Salad

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cooked boneless and skinless chicken breasts,
diced (a generous 2 cups)
2 small celery stalks, cut into small dice
1/2 red onion, cut into very small dice
1/2 green apple, cored and cut into medium dice
1/3 cup currants (raisins may be substituted)
Salt and pepper, if desired

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar and
Dijon mustard to form a dressing.

To the bowl, add the chicken, celery, onion, apple and currants.
Toss everything together, taste and adjust the seasoning if
desired. Chill before serving. This makes about 1 quart chicken
salad.

Servings: 4 to 6

Source: L.A. Times

Eleven Madison Park’s Strawberry Gazpacho

Ingredients

FOR THE TOAST:
2 slices country white bread
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 sprig thyme

FOR THE GAZPACHO:
1 1/2 lbs. strawberries, plus 8 pieces for garnish
1 red bell pepper, seeded
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded
2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1 clove garlic
3 oz. tomato juice
3 tbs. red-wine vinegar
2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Tabasco to taste

GARNISH:
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste
4 basil leaves
Instructions

FOR THE TOAST:
In a small pan over medium-low heat, toast the bread in the olive oil with the crushed garlic and thyme until golden brown. Reserve.

FOR THE GAZPACHO:
Hull the strawberries by inserting a straw at the bottom of the berry and pushing it through the cap.

Dice the berries, peppers, cucumbers, and garlic, and combine with tomato juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Let marinate for 3 hours at room temperature.

Combine all ingredients, including the toasted bread, in a blender, and blend until smooth.

Strain through chinois (optional). Season with salt and Tabasco.

Finish with olive oil, black pepper, and basil.

Serves 4-6

Source: New York Magazone, Chef Daniel Humm

2 lbs. lean stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of Cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 1/4 cups Guiness stout
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
A sprig of thyme

Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into 2 inch cubes and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season the flour with salt,pepper and cayenne. Toss the meat in this mixture.

Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying plan over high heat. Brown
the meat on all sides. Lower the heat, add onions, crushed garlic
and tomato puree to the pan. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole and pour some of
the Guiness into the pan, bring to a boil and stir with a wooden
spoon to dissolve the caramelized meat juices in the pan. Pour this
onto the meat, add the remaining Guiness, carrots and thyme. Stir,
taste and add salt, if necessary.

Cover the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender
- 2 to 3 hours (or place in a 300 degrees F oven for 2 to 3 hours).
Taste and correct seasonings.

Scatter with lots of chopped parsley and serve with plain boiled
potatoes or Colcannon.

Serves 4 to 6

Source: RecipeSecrets.net

Cute Guiness Video:

At lunch, I’d rather avoid any alcohol, so opted to try some of their house-made non-alcoholic drinks. I’ve become quite fond of the grapefruit soda. Made with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and Elderflower (not the liquor), it is quite a refreshing treat to pair with their delicious lunch options. I could totally see myself sitting poolside sipping on one of these and not miss the alcohol one bit. I know many who have decided to cut out alcohol or cut back in the near future, so I asked The Capital Grille for the recipe, so I could share it with everyone. Enjoy!

YIELD: 1 Order

INGREDIENTS:
Grapefruit Juice 2 oz
Elderflower 2 Tbsp
Soda Water 4 oz
Lime Wedge 1 wedge

PREPERATION:
1. Build in Specialty Highball Glass, Elderflower, Grapefruit Juice, Soda Water and juice from a lime wedge.
2. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and mint leaf

SERVING GLASSWARE: Specialty Hi-Ball Glass

GARNISH:
a) Grapefruit Wedge
b) Mint Leaf

3 and 1/2 cups (14 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1 oz. cherry-flavored liqueur (Kirschwasser recommended)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Dash of grated nutmeg

Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl. Place a metal bowl over a
saucepan filled with two inches of water. You may also use a
conventional double boiler. Bring the water to a boil over high
heat. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the wine into the bowl.
Stir in the lemon juice and garlic using a fork. Cook for 30
seconds stirring constantly.

Add half of the cheese, and stir constantly until the cheese is
melted. Add the remaining cheese a small amount at a time stirring
constantly. Pour the liqueur slowly around the edge of the bowl.
Pull the cheese mixture away from the edge of the bowl and cook for
about one minute or until the alcohol cooks off. Stir the liqueur
into the cheese. Stir the pepper in gently. Pour into a warm fondue
pot and keep warm over low heat. Garnish with a dash of nutmeg.

Source: The Melting Pot