Crispy Bacon Wrapped Dates With Lemon Basil Crema Food

CRISPY BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH THREE CHEESE CREAMY RISOTTO AND ARUGULA FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Sauce:
• In a medium saucepot, over medium heat, combine the wine, shallots, and garlic and bring to a simmer. Add the basil, cloves, and bay leaf, and let simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. When reduced, add the chicken stock, and continue to simmer until reduced by half. Strain into another sauce pan and stir in the butter. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper, to taste. Keep warm.
• Chicken:
• Season the chicken lightly with salt, and pepper, to taste. Lay 4 slices of bacon crosswise on a cutting board with the slices slightly overlapping. Put a chicken breast on top of the bacon. Bring the bacon slices up and around the chicken so the entire breast is wrapped. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and bacon.
• In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Get the pan and oil hot, and then add the bacon-wrapped chicken and cook until the bacon is crispy on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 18 minutes.
• Salad:
• Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Season the salad with salt, and pepper, to taste. Put the arugula and fennel into a large bowl and toss until well coated.
• Scoop some risotto nicely into the center or each plate, making sure it has some height so the chicken can stand up. Cut the chicken on a bias and put on top of the risotto. Drizzle some of the red wine sauce around the plate and directly over the chicken. Top each plate with some arugula salad and serve.
• Serving suggestion: Three Cheese Creamy Risotto, recipe follows.
• Heat a large pot (wider is better than taller) over medium heat and add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook the pancetta until it begins to crisp, and then add the garlic and shallots. Cook the shallots and garlic until they begin to brown in color. Add the rice and stir well to coat. Cook the rice for 1 minute.
• Add wine and stir well. Stir the rice until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Add in some chicken stock until rice is just covered and stir again until the stock is absorbed into the rice. Continue to gradually add the stock, stirring well after each addition, until the rice is cooked through, but still has a bite. You may not use all of the stock.
• When rice is cooked, stir in the cheeses and basil. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Season with salt, and pepper, to taste. The risotto should be smooth, creamy, rich, and delicious.

LEMON BASIL SORBETTO

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, combine 2 cups water, the sugar, basil sprigs, lemon zest and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Strain the syrup into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the syrup into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Once partially frozen, sprinkle in the basil leaves and continue to freeze until firm. Pour into an airtight container and place in the freezer to freeze completely.
• Serving option: Scoop 1 or 2 small scoops of sorbetto into a coupe glass and top with a splash of prosecco.

BACON WRAPPED CRAB STUFFED SHRIMP WITH LEMON BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven for 350 degrees F.
• To make the crab stuffing: Combine the crab, crackers, scallions, pepper, mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon, and garlic. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper and mix well. Set the stuffing aside.
• Using a paring knife, slice the shrimp down the backs and remove and discard the 'veins'. Deepen the incisions if necessary, then spoon stuffing into each shrimp. Wrap each stuffed shrimp with bacon and arrange them in a large baking dish.
• To make the pesto: pulse the basil, walnuts, cheese, and garlic together in a food processor (or grind in a mortar) then gradually incorporate the oil. Adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and set aside.
• To make the roux: Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, until the mixture, although still pale, looks dryer and no longer smells raw, about 5 minutes. Remove the roux from the heat.
• Transfer the shrimp to the oven and roast until the bacon begins to render and brown, about 10 minutes. Flip the shrimp and roast on the second side until the shrimp are opaque, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon basil cream: Heat the oil and butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fragrant and golden, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes then add the cream. Simmer until the sauce has reduced by half. Add the lemon juice and pesto, then whisk in the roux a tablespoon at a time (use just enough to thicken the sauce). Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.
• Arrange the shrimp on 4 warm plates and serve with lemon basil cream sauce on the side.