Tracy Smith’s Mediterranean menu and the recipes that follow are an excellent example of how, with the guidance of a ChefsLine chef, you too can create an authentic dish with what’s already in your refrigerator.

As Tracy stated “I would never had made this dish without your help.” Tracy Smith, national correspondent of the CBS Morning Show called Chef Jackie Lee at Chefsline.com for help preparing a meal. A simple enough proposition on the face of it, except that Tracy needed to cook the meal immediately using the ingredients she already had on hand. Chef Jackie took the call in stride and found out what Tracy had available. Chicken is flexible enough to suit any cuisine, however the red bell pepper, onion, and garlic are typical Mediterranean ingredients, as is asparagus when it’s in season. Tracy’s fresh basil and prosciutto (a cured Italian ham) made it unanimous, served on a bed of linguini this would be a meal perfectly at home in Italy, Spain, or Provence. Lemons and oranges are also typical of Mediterranean cuisines, combined with olive oil and Dijon mustard to form a vinaigrette. In this case grapefruit juice made an excellent stand-in for the more traditional flavors. With a different set of ingredients on-hand, this meal could have easily taken on an Oriental or Mexican flavor. The key is knowing your ingredients and how to match them up with each other, something the chefs at Chefsline can help with.

Mediterranean Chicken

INGREDIENTS
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 bunch of asparagus — woody ends removed, cleaned and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper — julienned (cut into 1/8 inch slices)
1/2 yellow onion — julienned
2-3 cloves of garlic –, minced
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. prosciutto, roughly chopped
4-5 basil leaves (chiffonade — rolled into a bundle and then sliced to make strips).
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Preheat the pan over medium-high heat.
Brush the chicken with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken breasts for 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the red peppers, yellow onion, and garlic to the pan. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes.
Return the breasts to the skillet and add the asparagus, basil, and prosciutto. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear. Slice into a breast to make sure it’s not pink - 160 degrees with a meat thermometer. Serve with angel hair pasta.

Jackie also helped Tracy with a salad to complement the flavors of the chicken and pasta.

Spinach Salad with Apples and Citrus Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS
Bag of Spinach
1/2 apple — julienned
Dressing
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
3/4 cup light olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk vigorously to blend.
Wash and trim spinach. Dry thoroughly.
Toss with 1/2 cup of dressing and sliced apples.
Serve.