Guide to Holiday Entertaining

Pipian Verde de Pollo

from Chef Matthew Pressler of Matador Restaurant

2	organic chicken breasts
1 T	vegetable oil
2	tomatillo
1	serrano pepper
1/2	poblano pepper, roasted, peeled & seeded
1/2 bunch	cilantro
1/2	spanish onion, chopped caramelized
1 T	vegetable oil
2	organic chicken breasts
2 T	roasted garlic
1 1/2 C	chicken stock
	salt to taste
Corn Portabella Salsa
1	portabella cap, diced
1 T	vegetable oil
1/2 C	tomato, diced
1 T	red onion, diced
1 C	corn roasted
1/2	poblano roasted, peeled, & seeded
2 T	heavy cream
2 T	cilantro chopped
	salt to taste
Garnish
1 T	pumpkin seeds, toasted
8 strips	julienned poblano
4 pinches	micro cilantro
Method
Preheat oven to 400F. Roast poblano pepper for 30 minutes or until dark blistering skin. Peel skin from the poblano; remove the stem and de-seed. Increase oven temperature to 450F. Simmer tomatillos for 3 minutes; remove husk, cool, and reserve. Toast pumpkin seeds until light brown. Chop onion; cook in oil on medium-high temperature until caramelized. Chop cilantro. In a blender, mix pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, serrano, ½ roasted poblano, cilantro, caramelized onions, and roasted garlic; blend on high until almost smooth; add chicken stock as needed. Pour entire contents of blender into a pot and simmer 15 minutes; salt to taste. Salt both sides of chicken breasts, sear one side on high in a skillet with 1t oil until golden brown; turn and place chicken, with skillet, in preheated oven. Bake until internal temperature has reached 165F, about 8 minutes. Heat sauté pan to medium-high temperature. Add oil, portabella, tomato, and onion. Sauté until slightly colored; add corn, poblano, and heavy cream. Reduce heavy cream almost completely; add fresh chopped cilantro. Salt to taste.
Assembly
Place roasted corn salsa on center of plate. Place seared chicken on top. Cover half of the chicken with pipian sauce; garnish with micro cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, and roasted poblano strips.

Garbonzo con Espinaca

from Chef Matthew Pressler of Matador Restaurant

2 QT	chickpeas, soaked, simmered, & peeled
1	red onion, chopped
10	plum tomatoes, halved
2 T	vegetable oil
3	garlic cloves
8 OZ	baby spinach, picked
4 T	minced garlic
2 C	chicken stock
1	baguette, sliced into thin rounds
2 T	sweet paprika, smoked
	EVOO and salt to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 450F. Chop onion and halve plum tomatoes; spread onto oiled baking sheet and salt well. Roast for 30 minutes. Add garlic cloves and continue to roast for 30 more minutes. Roast until edges have turned to a caramel color. In a blender, blend tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and 1.5 quarts chickpeas until smooth; add chicken stock as needed. Mixture should be batter-like. Pour puree into a pot; bring to a simmer and season with salt. Pick all stems from baby spinach. Pan fry 1/3 cup simmered and peeled chickpeas until light and crisp. Drain and immediately dust with salt and smoked sweet paprika.
Assembly
Heat cazuela until medium-high temperature. Add ½ tsp. minced garlic, 1 tbsp. EVOO, and cook until garlic whitens, about 1 minute. Add 10-12 leaves of picked baby spinach; sweat slightly. Add 2 tablespoons simmered and peeled chickpeas and a pinch of salt. Add chickpea puree to fill ¾ the cazuela. Turn spinach and simmered chickpeas to mix evenly; bring to a strong simmer and salt to taste. Remove from heat and place hot cazuela on serving platter. Garnish with fried chickpeas dusted in salt, smoked paprika, and 3 slices of toasted baguette drizzled with EVOO.

French 75

1 OZ	Tanqueray London Dry Gin
half of a lemon	lemon Juice
.5 OZ	simple syrup
Shake with ice, strain into a champagne flute, and top with 1.25 oz. champagne.

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