Looking for a new take on holiday favorites? Watch LEAN’s Heather VacLav and Chef Leo Maurelli of Central show you how to make healthy (and tasty) updates to some classic dishes. Then, use Chef Leo’s recipes to create them in your own kitchen!
Roasted Chicken
1 organic roasting chicken
2 cups EVOO
Sea salt
Cracked pepper
Smoked Spanish paprika
4 qts of brine
Method:
Place chicken in a 4 qt container and completely submerge in brine (see recipe below). Brine for 18 to 20 hours. Remove chicken from brine, pat dry and allow to rest for 45 minutes or so. Place in a roasting pan, and cover chicken with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt, cracked pepper and smoked Spanish paprika over whole chicken. Roast at 350 for 1 hour, turn oven up to 400 and cook another 15 minutes to crisp up skin. Check for internal temp of 160. Cut and serve.
Chicken Brine:
Ingredients:
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
1 tbs cumin seeds
1 cup sugar
12 bay leaves
1/2 cup garlic cloves, unpeeled, smashed
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Boil and stir to make sure salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove, chill and cool COMPLETELY, before using.
Sesame Haricot Vert with cremini mushrooms and shaved shallots
1 lb haricot vert
1 lb quartered cremini mushroom
2 shaved shallots
2 ears shaved garlic
Cup of toasted slivered almonds
½ cup EVOO
¼ Sesame oil
1 tbs white sesame seed
1 tbs black sesame seed
1 tbs fish sauce
Sea salt
Black pepper
Method:
Blanch the green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove and place in an ice bath. Set aside. Place shallots, garlic and ¼ cup EVOO in a medium skillet and sauté mushrooms, 2 minutes, remove and let stand. In a separate skillet add sesame oil, and haricot vert, sauté for one minute, pour fish sauce and sesame seeds. Season with Sea salt and cracked black pepper. Toss haricot vert and mushrooms together and garnish with toasted almonds.
Roasted Carrots
1 lb tri-color carrots
1 orange
½ cup honey
1/3 EVOO
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
½ cup fresh herbs—any
Method:
Preheat oven to 320.Peel and cut carrots in 2 to 3 inch pieces, quarter these. With a zester, remove all zest from orange, squeeze juice and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, toss carrots and all ingredients and place in a baking sheet. To avoid sticking, spray sheet with cooking spray, choose an olive oil alternative spray, and place carrots in sheet. Place sheet in oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, checking after first 10 to make sure carrots are caramelized, not burned. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with butternut and acorn squash
2 lg sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 acorn squash, peeled and diced
1 cup of pecans, tossed in cayenne, EVOO and roasted for 10 minutes
1 cup of honey
1 cup EVOO
1 tbs yellow curry powder
½ cup of honey or ¼ cup brown sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 400. Bring a medium sized pot to a hard boil and begin to blanch squash. Allow to cook for 5 minutes and then remove from water and place in an ice bath. Blanch diced sweet potato, cook for 4 minutes and then remove and place in an ice bath. Remove, drain and reserve. In a large mixing bowl, combine squash, sweet potatoes, honey or brown sugar, curry powder, sea salt and cracked pepper and toss. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Remove, garnish with spiced pecans and fresh herbs.