GEORGE'S RECIPE of THE MONTH.
 George has had a love of all things culinary from a very young age, and throughout his career, has worked with renowned chefs and food technologists. He discovered his passion for cooking at the age of five after spending time in his grandmother's restaurant. From then on, under his mother's guidance (who is a talented cook of her own accord) George recalls cooking anything his mother would let him, starting out with scrambled eggs and hamburgers and quickly moving on to fine Italian and French dishes.
After many years of honing and perfecting his culinary craft, George still enjoys what he humbly considers: "complimenting my family culinary experience," by taking courses in regional cuisines pertaining to the vegetable ingredient products his family specializes in, namely: Asian, French, Mediterranean, Mexican and Tex Mex.
Because of George's extensive knowledge and passion for food, he is a great resource to customers in helping them find the right ingredients for their recipe needs. "I need to understand what's happening in the kitchen," he explained. "If my client has an unfavorable flavor note, I need to be able to assess the situation to understand why." That extra level of service and care undoubtedly stems from his love of food and his work alike, which fortunately for George, go hand and hand.
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BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
1/4 cup GC Farms' extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups chopped onions 4 tablespoons GC Farms' chopped garlic in water 3/4 cup coarsely grated peeled carrots 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes in juice CHICKEN BREASTS
10 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs (from crustless French bread ground in processor) 2 large eggs 1 cup (about) all purpose flour 5 tablespoons GC Farms' extra virgin olive oil, divided 3 cups coarsely grated well-drained fresh water-packed mozzarella, divided 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram ROASTED GREEN BEANS
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound portabella (portabello) mushrooms, sliced 1/2 pound red bell peppers, sliced 4 teaspoons GC Farms' extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
  BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
1 - Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add carrots and thyme; sauté until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes.
2 - Add tomatoes with juice; bring to boil, coarsely crushing tomatoes with potato masher or fork. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until sauce thickens and is reduced to generous 5 cups, about 1 hour. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
CHICKEN BREASTS
1 - Place chicken breast halves between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness.
2 - Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Spread breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk eggs to blend in medium bowl. Spread flour on another plate. Coat both sides of chicken with flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs.
3 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chicken to skillet and cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed (chicken will not be cooked through).
4 - Transfer chicken to platter. Spread 1 cup sauce over bottom of 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 1 layer of chicken over sauce. Spoon 2 cups sauce over. Sprinkle half of mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino over. Repeat with remaining chicken, sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Pecorino.
5 - Bake until cheeses melt and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and marjoram and serve.
ROASTED GREEN BEANS
1 - Preheat oven to 425°, then place a jelly-roll pan in oven for 10 minutes.
2 - Place beans, mushroom strips and bell pepper strips in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Arrange green bean mixture in a single layer on preheated baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until green beans are crisp-tender.
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ARCHIVES
                                                                                                                                                         FEB 2010
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