Hallie Norvet

Grilled and Chilled Romaine Hearts

with Simple Caesar Dressing

Serves: 3-4

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time:1 Minute

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Sometimes a little update to an old classic is in order. My recipe for these Grilled and Chilled Romaine Hearts with Simple Caesar Dressing is perfect for a Late Summer/Early Fall meal out on the patio. Try this recipe out at your next BBQ and it's sure to impress even the most finnicky of salad eaters.

Ingredients:

3 Hearts Romaine Lettuce, Halved or Quartered (depending on your preference)

1/3 Cup Your Favorite Mayonaisse

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed and Chopped Fine

2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, Grated Fine

1 Lemon, Juiced

1/2 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Salt to Taste

Directions:

Pre-heat your grill or grill pan to high to heat the grill grates as much as possible. Reduce heat to medium and place romaine hearts cut side down onto the grill. Allow to "grill" for 30 Seconds until lettuce has grill marks. Remove lettuce form grill, place onto plate or sheet tray and allow to chill.

To prepare you dressing, place all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk. Season generously with fresh cracked black pepper and a dash of salt to taste.

When romaine hearts are chilled, serve grill side up on a chilled plate, with dressing served over the top. Garnish with crouton and parmesan cheese.

Simple Tomato Salad

This Simple Tomato Salad is just that, simple. But please, do not percieve it as a boring salad. This would make a perfect accompaniment for any grill or pool day, brunch, picnic.. basically anywhere outdoors in the Summertime, this salad is for you. It's so refreshing and with only six ingredients this salad can be prepared in less than 5 minutes! More time by the pool, less time in the kitchen. Pairs perfectly with anything grilled, or sweet.

Serves: 4-5 as a side

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: None

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Heirloom or Rainbow Cherry Tomatoes, Halved

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Chiffonade

1 Tablespoon Italian Parsley, Chopped Rough

1 Small Shallot, Sliced as Thin as Possible

1.5 Tabelspoon Red Wine Vinegar

1 Tabelspon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Tip: To make this in even more of a time crunch, you can serve tomatoes whole instead of halved as long as they are bite sized.. Now that's freakin' simple.

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl, season generously with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Gently stir with spoon or spatula. Allow to marinate for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Jerk Grilled Chicken Thighs with Melon Salsa

My Father has been grilling Jamaican Jerk Chicken for me ever since I can remember. I will say this time, and time again, that Jerk Chicken is responsible for me becoming a chef. My obsession with the unique flavors still lives to this day. While this recipe is not a full Jamaican Jerk recipe, it satisys most of the flavor combinations. The best part of course, is this is a quick dish to make, and would be a complete dinner with just one or two sides.

Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

For the Chicken

1/3 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

2 Limes, Juiced

1 Tablespoon Chopped Garlic

1 Tablespoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon ground Jamaican Allspice

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

2 teaspoon Fresh Thyme

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or 1 Freshly Chopped Habanero/Scotch Bonnet Pepper, No Seeds

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 Pounds Boneless Chicken Thighs

For the Salsa

1/2 Melon, De-seeded and balled into various sizes

1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

1 Lime, Juiced

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

Directions:

Preheat your grill or grill pan.

For the Jerk chicken marinade, mix all ingredients except chicken into a bowl and whisk. Place chicken into a medium sized bowl or Pyrex dish and pour mariande over chicken. Allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the melon salsa. Place all salsa ingredients into a separate bowl and mix together with a spoon. Put aside in refrigerator to chill.

Place chicken onto the grill and flip 2-4 times every 5 minutes until fully cooked to 165 degrees. Remove chicken from grill, allow to rest on plate or cutting board for for 3 minutes. Slice chicken or serve whole, and top with salsa.

Mojito Watermelon Feta Salad

Whoa, okay. All of the sudden it is Summer here in Los Angeles and the client's are craving cold dishes again. I am personally thrilled about this because Garde Manger, or the cold station, in the restaurant is one of my favorite places to be. I think it takes a lot of finesse and skill to make something fantastic without fire, or heat in the kitchen.. and this salad will prove why.

This Salad is a twist on a classic watermelon, feta and mint salad, only I upped the game a little bit by adding some fresh lime juice, zest, shaved red onion and heirloom tomatoes. It gives the salad a different texture contrast, and the acid from the lime pops! It's referenced to as a mojito salad as a classic Mojito contains lime, mint and sugar, which are all represented here. You'll want to eat a whole bowl of this and pass on the BBQ. I'm super serious.

Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: None

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Whole Baby Watermelon, De-rined, Cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 Cup Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes, Halved

1/4 Cup Shaved Red Onion, As Thin as You Can Slice

1.5 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, Chopped

1.5 Tablespoon Fresh Mint, Chopped

2 Limes, Juiced and Zested, Keep Both Zest and Juice Separate

Sea Salt

1/4 Cup Feta, Crumbled

Directions:

Place all ingredients except for salt and feta cheese into a mixing bowl. Toss gently with a spatula until incorporated, season with salt. Plate cantents of bowl into serving bowl or plate.

Top with feta cheese crumbles.

Garnish with additional lime zest, basil elaves, or mint leaves.

Green Goddess Dip

This beautiful green dip is perfect with a fresh crudite platter for any Spring party or gathering. The most time consuming part of this is chopping up some fresh herbs, which means this dip can be made in 10 minutes or less.

Makes: 4 Cups

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 0 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Large Ripe Avocados, Peeled and Pitted

1 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 Cup Chopped Scallion or Chive

2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

2 Tablespoon Fresh Tarragon, Chopped

4 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Chopped

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Chopped

Juice of 2 Lemons

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse on low speed, then increase to high until smooth. If a smoother consistency is desired, add 2 tablespoons water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turmeric Herb Falafel

It's one of those nights where you look in the fridge and you have no protein what-so-ever.. and you're definitely not heading to the grocery store.. So you look in the cupboard and what do you see? Garbanzo beans! The savior of all things. Hahaha let's turn this can of bans into something amazing. Like my Turmeric Herb Falafel!

Traditionally falafel is made with fresh or dried chickpeas, since I'm not going back to the store, I'm using canned. It's just a few ingredients into a food processor and you'r golden. As golden as the crispy edges of these falafel.

Makes: 12+ Falafel

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Falafel:

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, Drianed, Patted Dry

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped Fine

1/4 Cup Scallion, Chopped Fine

3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Chopped Fine

2 Clove Garlic, Chopped Fine

1 Medium Shallot, Chopped Fine

1/2 Tablespoon Cumin

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric

Dash of Curry Powder

1 Egg

1/4 Cup Breadcrumb

Large Pinch Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

Tahini Dill Yogurt:

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill, Chopped

1/4 Cup Tahini

Juice of One Lemon

1 Teaspoon Honey

Dash of Cumin

Salt and White Pepper

Directions:

Place all ingredients except for olive oil into a food processor. Use the pulse button to blend garbanzo and herb mixture until a consistency of chunky peanut butter, or smoother if you prefer. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more breadcrumb. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Roll garbanzo and herb mixture into small one inch balls, then flatten a bit with your palm so it create a thick disk. Do this to all falafel and then they're ready to fry.

For the yogurt, mix all ingredients togetehr in a small bowl. Chill and allow flvors to incorporate while you cook your falafel.

In a medium sauce pan, pour a thick layer of olive oil, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, gently and carefully drop in falafel flat side down. Allow to crisp up for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. flip falafel and repeat on other side, if needed, add a bit more olive oil to the pan. This is called a "shallow-fry." Keep falafel warm in a 275 degree oven or enjoy immediately inside a pita pocket or as is, served with a bit of tahini-dill-yogurt!

I also love my falafel with hot sauce made from fresh peppers, and some pickled onions. YUM!

Pork and Vegetable Sichuan Style Wontons with Chili Sauce

Los Angeles had an early rainy season this year, and my mind only goes to one thing.. I needed to make some dumplings. One of my favorite versions are these Pork and Vegetable filled Wontons with a Sichuan-Style sweet and spicy sauce. Normally wontons are used for frying as they are a bit thicker than gyoza wrappers which are typically intended for steaming. So when I prepare these I like to do a quick pan fry and then steam them until the filling is fully cooked. They're so tender, comforting and delicious.. you wont be able to stop.

Makes: 30+ Wontons

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

1/2 Head Savoy Cabbage, Finely Chopped

1/2 White Onion, Peeled, Finely Chopped

6 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped

1 Tablespoon Ginger, Chopped

5 Button Mushrooms, Chopped

5 Scallion, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Cilantro, Chopped

1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Sriracha

2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

30 Wonton Wrappers

1/2 Pound Ground Pork

1/4 Teaspoon Corn Starch

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

Garnish:

Scallion

Sesame Seed

For the Sauce:

1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

3 Tablespoons Chili Oil, Including Chiles

5 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce

1/4 Teaspoon Corn Starch, Dissolved in 1/2 Teaspoon Water

1/2 Water or Vegetable Stock

Instructions:

For the Dumplings:

Heat sesame oil in a medium sauce pot over high heat. Add cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, scallion and cilantro and sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent and vegetables are thoroughly cooked. Add in brown sugar, sriracha, soy sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow vegetables to cool. Add cooled vegetable mixture to ground pork, and mix in corn starch until incorporated. Now it's time to fill your wontons.

Place wonton wrappers flat down on a clean surface. Fill wrapper with 1/2 tablespoon of pork and vegetable mixture. With some warm water, "paint" the edges of the wonton wrapper with your finger. Bring opposite ends of the wonton together and seal, while bringing up the other opposite two edges to make a pyramid. Press the edges together to seal.

Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil to large saucepan and heat over high heat. Once pan is hot, reduce heat to medium and carefully place wontons into pan. Allow to cook for 1 minute, and then add water or broth. Cover with lid and allow to steam on low heat for 5-8 minutes until dumplings reach internal temperature of 160 degrees. Keep covered until ready to serve.

For the Sauce:

Add all ingredients into small sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once sauce thickens and sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Serve sauce over warm dumplings and garnish with sesame seeds and scallion strings.

When Fall and Winter roll around, I love to stock up on the tons of hard squash that flood the market. It lasts a long time, and it's such a cinch to prepare. Here, I'll show you how to roast any hard squash to enjoy on it's own, or for other recipes.

Makes: 3 Cups Cooked Squash

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 Hard Squash, Acorn, Delicata, Kabocha, Butternut Squash, halved, and sliced into 1 inch slices

1 Bulb Garlic, Sliced in Half

2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme

Pinch Ground Sage

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay squash flat and side to side, sprinkle with salt, pepper, chopped garlic, thyme and sage. Add garlic halves face down onto tray with whole thyme sprigs. Finish with a final drizzle of 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Roast for 30-40 minutes until skin and flesh is tender. Remove from oven, allow to cool and enjoy.

My other favorite season of the year is Fall. There something so special about Fall flavors.. colors.. and this Roasted Yam, Bleu Cheese and Candied Walnuts dish. This would be perfect as a side dish at your Thanksgiving feast, or for a quick lunch or dinner that's full of fiber and vitamin C.

Makes: 5 Portions

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp. Water

1/2 Cup Walnut

Olive Oil

2 Medium Jewel or Garnet Yam, Peeled and Cut into 1/3 Inch Coins

1 Large Purple Yam

1 tsp Fresh Thyme, Plucked

Salt and Pepper

Bleu Cheese

For the Dressing:

1.5 Tbsp Champagne Vinegar

1 Tbsp. Honey

1/2 Tbsp. Dijon

1.5 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Garnish:

Micro Cilantro, Parsley

Directions:

Prepheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small sauce pan melt 2 tbsp brown sugar with 1 tbsp water until dissolved. Coat walnuts and place walnuts onto a parchment lined sheet tray. Place sheet tray onto middle rack of oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn over, and bake for another 3 minutes. Remove from oven when cool.

On a separate large sheet tray, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over another parchment lined sheet tray. Then place yams flat down on sheet tray until filled side to side. Do not stack on top of one another. Season with fresh thyme, salt and peper. Bake for 30 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

"Scallop" potatoes onto a place and finish with bleu cheese. Allow to melt slightly. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together champagne vinegar, honey, dijon, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle vinaigrette mixture over yams. Garnish plate with candied walnuts and fresh herbs of your choice. Serve warm.

Just in time for Halloween, this pumpkin bisque is comfort in a bowl. Made with the same pumpkins you would prepare a pumpkin pie with, this soup is luscious, sweet, savory and perfect for any ghoulish gathering.

Makes: 6+ Servings

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Medium Baby Bear (Pumpkin Pie) Pumpkin, Peeled, De-Seeded and Cut into 1 Inch Cubes

1 Small Brown Onion, Peeled, Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Pinch Dried, Ground Sage

2 Bay Leaves

6 Cups Vegetable Broth

2 Cups Heavy cream

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Garnish:

Toasted Pumpkin or Squash Seeds (Pepitas), Fried Sage Leaves, Creme Fraiche

Directions:

In a medium stock pot, place pumpkin, onion, garlic, sage and bay leaf. Cover ingreients with vegetable stock and bring to high heat over your stove top. Once Stock is boiling, reduce heat to low simmer. Cover pot with lid and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove lid from pot and stir ingredients. Ingredients will be ready to blend when onions are translucnet and pumpkin is soft and falling apart. Remove the two bay leaves from the soup. Blend ingredients in pot together with either an immersion blender or in a counter-top blender. Please use caution and do blemd soup in batches if you use a countertop blender as it will be very hot.

Once your pumpkin-broth mixture is blended to a smooth consistency, add it to a clean medium-sized stock pot and heat over low. slowly add the heavy cream. Stir until all the heavy cream is incorporated in the soup completely. Bring heat up to medium, and allow soup to simmer. Stir regularly. Season the soup with salt until desired seasoning is achieved. The best way to season is in levels, add a bit, taste, add a bit more, taste again. Add a dash of white pepper and stir. Serve soup hot with toasted pepitas, fried sage leaves and creme fraiche.

This Roasted Red Pepper Hummus is so easy, inexpensive and delicious, you'll never buy the store bought stuff again!

Makes: About 3 Cups Fresh Hummus

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: None

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Can Garbanzo Beans, Drained

1/4 Cup Tahini

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped

1/2 Cup Chopped Roasted Red or Piquillo Peppers

Dash Ground Cumin

1/4 tsp Paprika

Garnish:

Chive, Smoked Paprika, Chopped Peppers, Cracked Black Pepper, Olive Oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except garnish) into food processer and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Garnish with drizzle of olive oil, smoked paprika, roasted peppers and chive. Garnish as you see fit.

Sometimes, you just need something that satisfies every taste. Spicy, crunchy, salty, sweet and sour.. These Pan Fried Chicken Gyoza with Red Thai Curry Sauce take a little time to make but are so worth it in the end.

Makes: 30+ Gyoza

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Sauce:

3 Tablespoons Ghee or Clarified Butter

1 Yellow Onion

3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Ginger, Skinned

2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Garlic

1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Lemon Grass

1/3 Cup Red Curry Paste

1 Can Coconut Milk

2 Tablespoons Honey

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 Cup Chicken Broth

1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce

Dash of Salt

Juice of 1 Lime

Dash of White Pepper

Pot Stickers:

1 Pound Ground Chicken

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Scallion

2 Tablespoons FInely Chopped Fresh Ginger, Skinned

1 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Garlic

1 Tablespoon Cilantro

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 Teaspoon Sambal Olek or Sriracha

1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1 teaspoon Corn Starch

1 Pinch Salt

1 Package Round Gyoza Wrappers

Small Bowl of Warm Water

Vegetable Oil for Frying

Directions:

For the Sauce:

In a small sauce pot over medium heart, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add in onion, ginger, garlic and lemongrass. Saute until onions are translucent. Add in Red curry paste and stir over medium heat for one minute until fragrant. Add coconut milk, honey, turmeric, chicken broth and fish sauce to pot and heat over high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend with immersion blender, or in food processor. Season with salt, lime and white pepper. If you'd like it even spicier, add in a generous pinch of crushed red pepper. Hold sauce over low heat until ready to serve gyoza.

For the Gyoza:

In a medium mixing bowl add all ingredients except gyoza wrappers, warm water and vegetable oil. Gently mix with a spoon until all ingredients are combined.

Lay out six individual gyoza wrappers at a time. Use your finger or a brush to lightly "paint" water around the edge of each wrapper. Place a small tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the middle of each wrapper. Then, fold the wrapper over like a taco, sealing the wet edges together. To seal the gyoza, start making a pleat from the left to the right. 2, 3 or 4  pleats should be fine. Repeat until you run out of the filling or wrappers

In a medium saute pan, heat a 1/2 inch layer of vegetable oil over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. Then gently drop in a few gyoza at a time to fry. They usually require a turn over or two. The gyoza are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165+ degrees and are golden brown on the outside.

Serve gyoza with warm curry sauce, fresh cilantro, scallion and lime.

Lobster tails were on sale this week.. I don't ever need an excuse to buy lobster but if I did, this was it. "What to make, what to make.." I wondered to myself. It's still 85 degrees here in Los Angeles in the middle of October, I'm starting to think it will be Summer forever here. Something chilled would really hit the spot.. "Ah ha!" Mini lobster rolls. These beauties were born..

Makes: 25+ Mini Toasts

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: None

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

Toasts:

1 Stick Salted Butter, Room Temperature

3 Garlic Cloves, Peeled, Chopped

25 1/3-inch-thick Bread Slices Cut from 1 Baguette, or 7 Slices of Quartered Slices of Thick White Toast

Lobster Mix:

2 Tablespoon Mayonaisse

1 Tablespoon Creme Fraiche

1/3 Cup Celery and Leaves (If Any), Finely Diced

2 tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley, Chopped

1/2 Tablespoon Fresh Dill, Chopped

Leom Juice, 1 Tablespoon

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/8 teaspoon Lemon Zest for Fine Microplane

Dash of Paprika

12 Ounces Cooked Lobster Meat, Roughly Chopped into Large Dices

Here is a great tutorial on how to cook lobster tails, I reccommend the boiling option for this recipe:

How to Cook Lobster Tails: http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Lobster-Tails

Garnish Options:

• Dill Frond
• Chopped Chive
• Lemon Zest
• Paprika

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix togetehr softened butter and garlic. Spread a thin layer of butter on each side of your bread slices. Place bread slices onto a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on center rack and allow to bake for 7-9 minutes until edges are golden brown. Transfer toasts to plate to cool.

Combine mayonnaise, celery, parsley, dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and dash of paprika in large bowl; stir to blend. Mix in lobster and gently fold with spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mound lobster salad onto each toast and serve. Garnish with your favorite fresh herb, lemon or spice from the ingredient list.

The best part about Summer coming to an end is the abundance of heirloom tomatoes in the markets. Days ago, I was craving a tart with the sweetness of these beautiful tomatoes and had to make one (or four). This recipe is quite simple, make a crust from scratch, chill it, roll it, fill it and bake it. Finish this off with some balsamic.. or a fried egg and some mixed greens and you've got a sophisticated brunch. Tell your friends it tooks hours to make.. when it only took one.

Makes : 6-8 Servings

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Inactive: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Ingredients:

Tart Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons cold water

Tart:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

2 Pound Heirloom Cherry Toamtoes, Halved

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp finely chipped fresh rosemary sprigs

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Directions:

For the dough: Combine the flour, butter and some salt and pepper using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the oil and the water just until the bottom of the mixture begins to cling together. If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of oil. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

For the tart: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch circle and place into a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Spread the mustard over the bottom of the tart shell. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the mustard and place the tomatoes seed side up over the Gruyere. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes.

Mix together the olive oil, basil, parsley, thyme and garlic in a small bowl. Brush two-thirds of the mixture over the finsihed tart. Remove the tart and cool briefly before serving. Serve warm with the remaining herb oil.

Top with a fried egg, more gruyere, balsamic reduction or enjoy as is.

Bacon. Yes, bacon. Can it get any better? Well apparently, it can. This recipe for my Black Pepper Candied Walnut Bacon will have you returning for slice after slice. Perfect as a snack, or on a sandwich, salad or with brunch these tasty morsels are not only delcicious, but simple to make.

Serves: 2-3

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 25-30 Minutes

By: Chef Hallie Norvet

Ingredients:

1 Pound Smoked Thick Cut Bacon, Cut in Half

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Tip:

If you'd like a spicy version, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or a tablespoon of Sriracha when mixing in ingredients.

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl add in bacon, bown sugar, paprika and pepper.

On a parchment lined baking sheet or silpat, uniformly place bacon 1/2 inch apart from each other. Place on middle rack of oven and bake for 20 minutes. Check on your bacon at the 20 minute mark to see if you need to remove any fat from the pan. Continue to bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until desired thickness is reached, the longer the bacon cooks the crispier and thinner it will be.

Remove bacon from oven and allow to cool on cooling rack. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts while fresh from the oven. Bacon will stiffen up a bit after a few minutes. Enjoy warm, room temperature or chilled.