MAKE a day earlier- soooooo much better next day! Serves 6-8

Braised Chicken

2 tablespoons avocado olive oil
6 whole chicken legs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound thinly diced turkey bacon, finely dice
1 onion, julienne
3 parsnip, finely diced
2 turnips, finely diced
2 celery hearts, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups Zucchini, sliced .25 thick rounds
2 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4  white wine
1/2 cup hazelnut milk
pinch thyme sprigs
pinch rosemary sprig
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup  low-sodium broth
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a deep, 12-inch, deep sauté pan, heat the avocado oil.

Season the chicken with sea salt and pepper and cook over high heat turning once, until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate or platter.

Add the turkey bacon to the sauté pan and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, parsnip, turnips and zucchini  and cook over high heat, stirring, until the vegetables are beginning to caramelize, about 4 minutes or so.

Add the tomato paste and wine and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated. After the wine evaporates, add both the stock and hazelnut milk. Add the herb sprigs and olives and season with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken into the vegetables, add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover tightly with lid or tinfoil, transfer to the oven and braise until falling off the bone, about 1 hour 30 mins.

Discard the herbs and serve Carolina Brown Rice

Follow the instructions on the bag and add 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar a for every 2 cups of rice being made. Charred Kale chips from the book, pg 28.

Only there is one substitution in the recipe…Instead of the nori use 2 tablespoons of Lemon Zest and One additional  teaspoon of sea salt. Place the rice and flax in the bowl, place a big handful of the kale on the rice and the chicken right on top. Place the 2 tablespoons of flax seed for every 2 cups of rice being made.

I hope its winter and your holding someones hand when you eat this.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise
1 lemon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound mixed heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Put the chicken into a shallow dish. Grate the zest from the lemon over the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil along with the thyme and garlic. Mix everything together so the chicken is well coated with all the flavorings. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
2. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the tomato salad: Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, tear in the basil leaves, and gently mix to combine.
3. When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade, scrape off the herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and put a thin coating of olive oil into it. Cook the chicken, working in batches if necessary, until it is golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
4. To serve, place 2 pieces of chicken onto a plate, and spoon 1/4 of the tomato salad over the chicken. Spoon on some of the tomato juices as well. Repeat with the remaining chicken and tomatoes and serve.

Ingredients

4 8-ounce, aged filet Mignon
2 tablespoons ground espresso
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2 cups shelled English peas
3 to 4 varieties of summer fingerlings, thinly sliced
2 bunches pea tendrils
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 smashed garlic
1 diced shallot
1 tablespoons butter
Sea salt
Cracked pepper

Directions

1. Marinate all of the ingredients with the beef tenderloin until well coated. Add the two tablespoons of butter into a sauté pan at medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until translucent. Add the potatoes and cook until crispy and golden brown around the edges. Add the peas and the cumin and cook for about a minute or so, the peas should still have a bite. Add the tendrils and barely sauté, as you want them barely wilted.
2. Season with sea salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 400
4. Add a tablespoon of canola oil to a sauté pan and let oil smoke. Add filets and sear hard on one side. Flip and put in the oven at 350 until medium rare, which should take about 4 minutes at 400 degrees, depending on the thickness of the steaks.
5. Once finished, let the meat rest for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.
6. Take the peas and potatoes and place on the plate. Fan sliced steak over the peas and sprinkle with coarse fleur de sel.