What's For Dinner: Summer Edition

Since I have recently embraced cooking in 2013, I wanted to start sharing some awesome recipes. Each post will be tailored toward the current season's taste bud palette. In my first installment of What's For Dinner:

Garrett Wade Brignoli (most well known for his awesome architecture and photography skills) took to the kitchen and created a really great Summer Menu. His menu is great because it provides a refreshing cocktail, a healthy salad appetizer, and a fantastic main chicken entree.

Take a look at the amazing finished meal below. Recipes are also included, just in case you want to try this fun menu at home this Summer. Enjoy!

COCKTAIL:

C U C U M B E R   G I N   A N D   T O N I C

3 slices of cucumber

2 oz of gin

1/2 lime

3 oz Tonic soda

salt

Muddle cucumbers in cocktail shaker. Add gin and juice of lime (halve and use a fork to squeeze out the juice). Add two cubes of ice and shake vigorously. Use wedge of a lime to wet rim of glass and add salt. Strain gin mixture over ice and add tonic. A slight stir, and you are off and running.

APPETIZER:

R O A S T E D   V E G E T A B L E   S A L A D

Zucchinis

Radishes

Green Onions

New Potatoes

Carrots

Arugula

M U S T A R D   V I N A I G R E T T E 
½ of a shallot

1 pinch of sugar

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mince shallot and mix with white vinegar and sugar in a bowl; let stand for 15-20 minutes. Add mustard, salt, and pepper. Slowly start to whisk in olive oil until dressing becomes rich and creamy.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop potatoes into ¾” chunks; mix in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay potatoes out on a sheet pan and bake in oven until golden brown and a slight char forms, flipping once half way through (about 40-50 minutes). Roughly chop vegetables and dress with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Lay vegetables out on a sheet pan and cook until slightly golden (about 20 minutes). Once out of the oven, let both potatoes and vegetables stand to cool. Mix vegetables and potatoes with arugula and dress with mustard vinaigrette.

ENTREE:

1   P A N   C H I C K E N

1/2 cup  flour

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces

3 slices bacon

3 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly slices

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup dry sherry

2 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place flour in a bowl; set aside.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in flour; set aside. Heat bacon in a skillet over medium to high heat, and cook stirring, until its fat renders- about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate; set aside. Add oil to skillet, and working in 2 batches, add chicken, and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 

Add garlic to the skillet, and cook, stirring until golden brown, about 1 minute. Add stock and sherry and return chicken to skillet, skin side up; sprinkle with reserved bacon, along with parsley, and then dot with butter. Transfer skillet to oven and cook, basting twice during the cooking, until chicken is cooked and tender, about 30 minutes.