Ingredients

• 1/4 lb bacon cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 White onion, chopped
• 8 Garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 2 lbs Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch slices
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup Sherry, Port or Marsala
• 3/4 cup Sour cream
• 6 small bunches Fresh fennel, cut in small pieces to decorate the top of each soup bowl

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 8 ounces each
• 2 tablespoons Pompeian® Extra Light Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 32 slices tomato, ¼ inch thick (Tomatoes should be very fresh and very ripe.)
• 24 grilled asparagus spears
• 4 ounces Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
• 12 red-onion rings, raw, for garnish
• 4 basil leaves, chiffonade, for garnish
• 8 ounces roast shallot-black pepper vinaigrette

• For the grilled asparagus:

• 24 asparagus spears
• 2 tablespoons Pompeian® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• For the roast shallot-black pepper vinaigrette:

• 1 head garlic
• 2 small shallots
• ½ cup Pompeian® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for brushing the garlic and shallots
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or Pompeian® Pomegranate Infused Blush Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Pompeian® Balsamic Vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ teaspoons basil, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons chives, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons parsley, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons oregano, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons Susan Rice™ Olive Oil with Summer Truffles
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Created by Chef Kent Rathbun – Abacus, Dallas; Jasper’s Restaurants, Texas and featured on the Public Television Series: Nick Stellino's Cooking With Friends

Serves 4

Coat the chicken breasts with the extra light olive oil and season with cracked black pepper and kosher salt. Grill on a charcoal grill or in a grill pan until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove the chicken breasts from the heat and slice each into 6 to 8 pieces.

To prepare the grilled asparagus:
Marinate the asparagus in the extra virgin olive oil and season with cracked black pepper and kosher salt. Grill over an open flame for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

To prepare the roast shallot-black pepper vinaigrette:
Cut off the top of the head of garlic and peel the shallots. To roast the garlic and shallots, brush with extra virgin olive oil and place in a baking dish in an oven preheated to 375 degrees. Roast until soft, approximately 35 to 40 minutes

In a medium bowl, mix ½ cup extra virgin olive oil and both vinegars. After the garlic and shallots cool, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins, and chop and mash them into a paste together with the shallots. Add the garlic-and-shallots paste to the rest of the ingredients, mix, and season with kosher salt.

To serve:
On each plate lay out the tomato slices with the grilled asparagus in a nice arrangement. Arrange the slices of chicken breast on the plate next to the tomatoes. Sprinkle the Maytag blue cheese over the top of the salad, and garnish with the red-onion rings and basil. Drizzle 2 ounces of the vinaigrette over each salad.