ARUGULA SALAD, CHICKEN ROLLITINI & HOMEMADE RAVIOLIS

ARUGULA SALAD, CHICKEN ROLLITINI & HALFMOON RAVIOLIS

I HAD A LOT OF FUN PUTTING THIS DINNER TOGETHER. I WENT TO MURRAY'S CHEESE IN GRAND CENTRAL AND PURCHASED SOME LARDO, WHICH IS THE BACKFAT OF A PIG AND IS CURED WITH ROSEMARY. I DICED UP SOME OF THE LARDO AND  RENDERED IT OFF.  

FOR MY SALAD I GRILLED UP A PORTABELLO MUSHROOM UNTIL IT WAS CRISPY. I ALSO GRILLED ONE QUARTER OF A TOMATO WITH SOME OLIVE OIL AND SALT. 

I MADE A VINAIGRETTE USING OLIVE OIL, TARRAGON DIJON MUSTARD, SOME OF THE CRISPY LARDO AND ITS OIL AND FRESH ORANGE JUICE. I TOSSED THIS WITH SOME FRESH ARUGULA AND PLATED IT OVER MY MUSHROOM. I SHAVED SOME PARMIGIANO REGGIANO ONTOP OF THIS.

 I HAD MADE SOME BALSAMIC CAVIAR PEARLS THE DAY BEFORE AND INCORPORATED THEM ONTO THE PLATE. THERE IS ALSO SOME EXTRA CRISPY LARDO AND A SLICE OF ORANGE.

I WAS CRAVING MAKING CHICKEN ROLLITINI. I POUNDED OUT A CHICKEN BREAST AND COVERED THE INSIDE WITH SOME FIG GOAT CHEESE, THIN SLICES OF PORTABELLO MUSHROOMS AND PROSCIUTTO. I ROLLED AND TIED IT UP AND TOSSED WITH A LIGHT MARINADE. 

I GRILLED THESE FOR A SHORT TIME TO GET SOME COLOR ON THE OUTSIDE AND ALSO BEFORE THE INSIDES STARTED TO SEEP OUT AND BURN IN MY PAN. I PUT EACH BREAST INTO A TIN FOIL POUCH WHICH ALLOWS IT STEAMING ITSELF. WHEN THE JUICES START TO COME OUT THIS CREATES A NICE SAUCE WHICH I HAVE ALSO PLATED AT THE TOP.  

I HAD NOT MADE RAVIOLI SINCE MY PASTA CLASS A FEW WEEKS BACK. I MADE MY DOUGH EARLIER IN THE DAY SO IT COULD REST BEFORE PRESSING IT INTO SHEETS. FOR MY FILLING I USED RICOTTA, PARMIGIANO REGGIANO AND A FIG-MARSALA SAUCE. I LET MY PASTA SHEETS DRY AND THEN CUT OUT CIRCLES USING MY SET OF RINGS. I FILLED THESE UP WITH MY FILLING AND PUT SOME WATER AROUND HALF OF THE CIRCLES PERIMETER. I THAN FOLDED THEM OVER AND PINCHED TO ENSURE THEY WERE CLOSED. AS A REENFORCEMENT I USED A FORK AROUND THE PERIMETER WHICH ALSO GIVES NICE EYE APPEAL. 

YES, THOSE LITTLE SPECS ON THE PASTA ARE LARDO. I RENDERED SOME OUT AND ADDED SOME ITALIAN PESTO TO CREATE A SAUCE. ONCE MY HALF MOONS WERE DONE BOILING I PUT THEM INTO MY SAUCEPAN WITH THE PESTO AND LARDO. I GRADUALLY ADDED SOME OF THE STARCHY PASTA WATER TO THICKEN MY SAUCE. THEY CAME OUT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED BUT COULD HAVE USED A LITTLE LESS PESTO. BELOW IS ANOTHER LOOK AT THE PAN BEFORE PLATING.